Alpha and Omega
by silversilence0
Summary: It's three years after the Eve Wars, everything seems to be going well for the five expilots, or so we would hope. Suddenly a rumor appears that the zero system is in use again, but by who? [NONYAOI]
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I do not own gundam wing...one day you nver know i might lol, if i wint he lotery or something lol.

This story is a rewrite of a previous story called The Return of Zero. I really hated the name and how i wrote it so now I'm going to redo it better.

_Summary:_ It's three years after the Eve wars and all the pilots seem to have thier lives all worked out, or so we would hope. Suddenly a rumor appears that the Zero system was in use but there's no mention by who. As well as the rumor the Preventers have a new rival, a revolutionary branch still remaining from OZ. All this worries Heero Yuy one of the top Preventer agents but what bothers him more is Duo's behaviour and possible who he's been spending his time.

**Warnings**: Language: it's mostly mild but if it's excesive I'll put another warning on the chapter  
Violence: There is violence in this story so be warned. It is a war were talking about here.

Well enjoy the read.

**Prologue**

_In Space Outside the L2 Zone_

It was late, very late, if it could be called that out in space. There was no sound except for the snores of sleeping mechanics and shipmates. No one was awake and most were overtired from a hard days work except one blonde young man. Yawning he stretched his arms and looked around.

"Where is she?" He asked to no one but himself as he looked at the bed. It wasn't unusual for the only female mechanic to go off at night but this late was a bit much. Getting up He walked to the side of her bed where there was usually a bag, one he was always worried about, especially at times of peace. She always had a knack for trouble, either that or trouble had a knack for her; it was hard to tell.

Moving to the small cafeteria, which he usually called a corner. There was only one person sitting with a coffee. The blond man moved towards him getting his attention.

"Hey what's up Jock?" The red haired man asked looking rather concerned. He was wearing oil stained work clothes. Jock remembered the day the large man got them; he was really worried about breaking them.

"I couldn't sleep" Jock said as Ben flinched. Usually that wasn't a good thing. Jock knew it too. It usually meant something wasn't right or there was something coming if he couldn't sleep. Often it had to do with Ray the mechanic he was looking for. "Have you seen Ray?" Jock asked rubbing the back of his neck trying to loosen a stiff muscle.

"Hmmm Last night but not now. Isn't she asleep?" Ben knew it was a bad sign when Jock couldn't find her or when he didn't know where she was.

Jock shook his head. "No but I'm used to that. It's just that her bag is gone and the rest of her stuff." Jock sighed; Ben stretched and looked around a moment.

"Lets go to the cockpit and take a look there. If she's not there we'll have to check the cargo. If it's gone then we'll know she left." Ben said assertively. He knew she had left but once she was getting ready to leave and was caught so he couldn't take the chance that she was still there.

"That sounds good to me." Jock said as they left to the cockpit. Sure enough the pilot had no clue where she went and was sure he didn't see her. Jock had to admit, she was hard to miss.

The cargo hold though said differently, the one mobile suit they were looking for was gone and that was a bad omen indeed. If he didn't know better she was after something, or someone.

Jock sighed heavily he knew what this all meant, he and Ben both had to leave for Earth as soon as physically possible if they plan on having any chance of stopping her. It was too dangerous for her at times like this especially with the Preventers breathing down on her.

"Well looks like we're going on a trip." Ben said amused. "I have to admit she does pick the best times to disappear."

"Where did she go?" Jock asked more to himself. "Did she say anything to you?" Jock asked turning to Ben.

"Let me think, yeah she intercepted a transmission, it was from Europe. Something about an ex-pilot." Ben sighed. He knew now what she was about to do, and it was a big mistake.

"Then we had better leave now." Jock frowned. He hated re-entry, not only did it scare him, but he always felt shaken up and sick.

"Well then, meet me back here in an hour I'll go call Howard to tell him we're coming down. We should make sure these are all secure and then prepare this ship t get back up here as soon as possible." Ben said remembering procedure, out of the three he was the only one who followed the rules, Jock followed Ray and Ray followed herself. He was tired of her running off but she had a reputation to keep up and if it meant disappearing then disappearing she did, and she does it well.

"Okay, We'll have to move quickly when we get to Earth."

"Agreed, see ya in an hour." Ben waved and ran to the cockpit to tell the pilot to descend.

TBC...

* * *

_A/N: I'll be adding the next chapter really soon._

_So far nothing really happened other than Jock's friend is gone, hmmm I wonder what she's up to?_

_Please review._


	2. A Dangerous Mission

_Disclaimer: I don't own it._

_Well the prologue is a bit cryptic but i wanted it to be._

_Enjoy the read._

**Chapter 1: A Dangerous Mission**

Quietly a messy haired Preventer crept up to an old abandoned hanger. He slowly placed his hand against the wall making sure not to make any sound. He and his partner couldn't afford getting noticed, at least not yet. As he leaned against the wall he used his other hand to pull out his gun. _'Just in case.'_ He thought as he inched closer to see around the corner.

What he saw was two soldiers; he was guessing they were OZ soldiers of some sort. They were arguing about something.

"Sir! I don't think it's a good idea to go in there, it looks like it'll fall any minute." The shorter one said.

"Are you going against my orders?" He must be the leader

"Uh, no sir, I was…"

"Worried about our safety? You're a coward, you only worry about yourself! If you don't want to go in there, then I'll have you put away!"

"But sir,"

"Get going, I need to know what they're up to!" The taller of the two ordered.

The Preventer straightened out and sighed. They were in the right place after all. Who ever this lieutenant was he didn't like him, he liked to push his men around and that made him very dangerous. _'I guess I was right to pull my gun out; I might have to use it from the way this looks.'_

"Hey what was going on over there Heero?" His braided partner asked confused. He really hadn't changed much since the wars. He was still skinny and just as annoying. The only difference was he had more muscle definition, was a bit taller, and his eyes were different somehow. He couldn't quite put a finger on it but he couldn't help but feel his partner was getting tired or something.

"There was an argument about entering the hanger. One of the men thinks it'll fall down."

"Heh, I don't blame the guy, it looks like it might! Who's the guy in charge?" He asked.

"I don't know, I've never seen him before, but I do know there was one of those odd soldiers there. Duo, do you remember what I told you?" Heero asked looking at his friend.

Duo scratched his head. "About the super soldiers, yeah. You told me not to attack them, since they're twice as fast. But how do we avoid that, let alone live to tell about it?"

"I'll take care of him, I want you to keep me covered if we end up in a gun fight."

"Sure, lets just hope we get there first then." Duo sighed. Heero had a feeling Duo felt it was going to fail. He had to admit, even he felt bad about this mission. After all he only volunteered for it, his actions weren't the ones he would be held accountable for; Duo on the other hand, would be held accountable.

Moving forward to see if the coast was clear Heero looked back. Duo was looking off to the side past the trees, something was nagging at him Heero could tell but what was it? "What is it?" Heero asked.

"Huh?" Duo looked back to his best friend, "Oh I was just thinking."

"Hmmm…well don't! I don't want you to lose focus on what we're doing." Heero said seriously.

"Hey, let me be a little human here okay! Don't worry I can focus on the mission." Duo growled.

"…." Heero watched Duo as he pulled out his gun. Duo's hands were shaking but not bad enough to cause him troubles or so Heero thought.

* * *

Moving closer Duo wondered exactly why the OZ revolutionists wanted the small shipment of gundanium. _'It's not like they can use it. We would know if they were building anything.'_ Duo thought. 

There was just too many odd things going on lately, and he was having a lot of trouble keeping up with it all. Heero started to volunteer as a Preventer from time to time, same with Quatre. Hilde even thought about it but he had talked her out of it. He couldn't afford to lose his best friend in a gunfight or an accident. Of course Hilde had been mad at him about it for days, but he didn't want to lose her. In reality there was something going on, something he didn't like and it was reflected in his friends' actions.

Slowly he and Heero made their way around to the front and both slipped into the shadows inside.

"There in the back I bet that's it." Duo pointed out. There was what looked like a few metal crates covered by tarps. Both he and Heero knew what they looked like from during the war but the OZ soldiers were moving in the wrong direction. Most likely they'll pass it by.

"It's right in their faces but they're to stupid to notice" Duo whispered as he mocked the soldiers. "I don't think they've improved much since the war ended."

"Shhh!" Heero reminded "That one over there can hear you if you get to loud. We don't want to attract attention to the crates or ourselves."

"Humph" Duo pouted.

Slowly they made their way around the soldiers and toward the crates. So far no one noticed them, actually he had the feeling they would be leaving soon. But Duo's happy thought was crushed when he felt dust falling from above.

"…" Duo looked up only to see what was about to happen, Heero was going to kill him for this but it was either they both live and take a chance, or one of them Dies.

"HEERO, LOOK OUT" Duo called as he lunged at his friend saving them both from the caving ceiling. Unfortunately they caught the unwanted attention Duo was dreading.

"Hey who's there?" One of the men called.

"I think it came from over here!" Another called out as he moved swiftly toward them. Duo guessed this was the guy Heero had warned him about since the debris meant almost nothing to him.

"Oh damn he's moving towards us, now what?" Duo asked getting up.

"We'll have to make a stand." Heero said as he surveyed the surroundings and moved to make a barrier. "I'll focus on him and you on the rest."

"Okay, I miss a good gun fight," Duo smiled as he moved into position. There was little time to come up with a strategy, so Duo decided to hit each in the leg in order to give Heero more time.

* * *

Heero leaned back against the piece of ceiling he had set up as a barrier. Duo had made the right decision in getting him out from beneath the cave-in but the attention may have cost them. 

Waiting for his target to get near him, Heero watched the soldier as he moved through the debris, studying each movement. _'He's clumsy, a lot more clumsy than the girl, this may prove less difficult than I thought.'_ Heero cocked his gun and waited.

Looking over his shoulder he watched Duo for a moment. His hand had stopped shaking and he seemed to be calculating the distance and speed the others were moving at. Although he didn't let his best friend know it but Heero often felt Duo had nearly similar skills when it came to gunfights. He sometimes thought his friend was a better aim, or wasit all the risks Duo often took in a fight? Something Heero rarely did._ 'Was this feature what made him live this long? Where did he learn all this? I doubt theprofessor taught him all the skills he has, it just doesn't add up.'_ Heero looked away slowly and watched his target again.

* * *

Duo sighed. _'They're to damned slow, I just want this to end and quickly.'_ He thought rummaging in a backpack he had brought with him just in case. "Damn it!" Duo cursed. 

"What is it?"

"I can't use these!" Duo held out a grenade. "We would have been able to finish this easily if I could."

"Your right, this place would fall on us if you did, and killing them is not what we want."

"Yeah that was my point, you took the words right outa' my mouth." Duo smiled. "So I guess we'll have to give em' hell." Duo's smile broadened. He didn't mind spending more time sharpening his aim; it had been a while since he had a moving target to shoot at.

"Are you ready?" Heero asked. Duo felt Heero thought he lost his edge.

"Are you kidding, I've been dying for a good struggle it reminds me of old times." Duo laughed.

"Old times?"

"It's a figure of speech Heero." Duo slapped his forehead in defeat. He had to get Heero a sense of humour one of these days even if it killed him. "Man you just don't get it! It's like I'm talking to a zombie!"

Heero sent Duo a glare, one that told him it was time to shut up and start taking them out.

Smiling Duo pulled his gun and shot the closest one in the leg. "One down, several more to go…. Heero how many are there here?"

"Ten or twelve"

"What!" For a moment he was worried, but the odds could have been worse than that."Great more for me then!" Duo joked as he shot two more and watched as they fell face first in surprise.

* * *

Heero wasn't fairing nearly as well as Duo. Actually his target moved in and out of the shadows revealing a trick he had only seen once before. _'Damn it we may have to pull back at this rate. If he gets any closer he'll see the crates and get us.'_

His earlier assumption was true but to a point. The soldier wasn't like the girl he had run into in the past but he had other attributes that made Heero worry.

"Hey buddy how's it going there?"

"…" Heero let lose three shots but they hit only metal. "Duo shut up!"

Duo watched him for a moment as he struggled trying to hit the target he had set for himself, and then went back to his own.

Suddenly after Heero had sent a bullet in the direction he felt the man had gone, the soldier disappeared. _'Where did he go? I don't like this.'_ But he never appeared again, instead Heero felt as though there was something behind them.

Turning to look behind, Heero saw nothing. What ever it was he dismissed it. _'It was probably my imagination. But where did he go? He should be on top of us by now.'_

Heero looked to his right, to Duo. Duo was focusing on hitting as many as he could without killing them but he wasn't having much luck since they had all gone for cover.

"Hey what's up?" Duo asked not looking away from the men he was aiming for. "You stopped shooting."

"Yeah I'm going to go see where he went."

"What!" Duo looked at him. "What are you nuts, they're shooting at us, getting up would be fatal! You'll look like Swiss cheese if you do that!" Duo was partially right. He would look like Swiss cheese if he actually stood up.

"He was over there last I saw him." Heero pointed to the shadows on his left, "Do you think you could cover me?"

"Sure that's easy enough, I've got most of em confused and stuck behind their cover." Duo smiled. Heero nodded and moved to where he saw his target last.

* * *

Watching Heero move out from behind their measly shelter, Duo couldn't help but worry. "He's still pullin' off crazy stunts. Someone's gatta tell this guy he's not immortal or something." Duo muttered as he shot another of the OZ men in the thigh. 

Heero losing his target bothered him. Since when did the perfect solder miss or even lose a target, it was all very confusing.

So far the retaliation from the other side was minuscule but also very calculated. Duo was lucky he wasn't shot yet. "Man there's someone sorting them out, I need to move fast, or else I'll have to find new shelter from these guys." He muttered He hated it when he wasn't winning , and he couldn't afford to lose.

Looking to his left he saw that Heero had reached the spot he had shown him. _'Good now I can let lose on these guys, they can't see him from there.'_ Duo thought as he reloaded his gun and took aim. He really wanted to hit the red haired soldier. He was a pain and very good; it's better to get rid of the stronger people first. But his luck was waning as a bullet grazed past his head and hit the metal support behind him. "Damn another shot like that and that part of the ceiling will come down on me." Duo sighed, as he looked around frantically for a new spot to hide.

* * *

Heero had made it to where he saw his target last. So far all he saw was a bloody splotch. From the angle the shot had come from he knew it was his own and he had hit him but the question still remained. Where was he?" 

Moving to his right, Heero continued to move through the shadows, trying to mirror the movements his target would have continued, to get at them.

After two more minutes he had found more blood, a lot more. He was right to be worried. The soldier had made it so close he was ready to shoot to kill. Something stopped him though. From the way the blood had splattered, he had been shot several times, but there were also signs of a struggle.

Moving further Heero found his target. The man was definately dead. Heero had shot him in the shoulder, but someone shot him twice in each leg, once in the chest and a final shot between the eyes. Whoever the shooter was they had really good aim, and had meant to kill. Taking a closer look Heero also noticed several slashes in the man's left arm and one through his throat. The killer was also very thorough.

Looking back to Duo, Heero watched as the red haired soldier made a close shot at Duo only to hit the metal post behind his friend. Duo looked worried about his position. From the looks of the place they had one chance to get out.

"Duo!"

Duo looked over, "What is it, I'm a little occupied."

"How long do we have if you throw your grenades?"

"Not long, a few seconds." Duo called back.

"Can you make it here." Heero asked. If they wanted to make it out alive they needed to use them from near the entrance.

"I gottcha' I'll be there as soon as they stop shootin' at me" Duo grunted as he shot another man in the arm.

Heero waited patiently in the dark for his friend to slip away on the soldiers. Duo was the best at getting away from a fight. Like many times before he managed to slip away with little effort.

Duo sighed for a moment and listened, as the men he was shooting at were confused because no one was shooting at them anymore.

"Well I made it in one piece." Duo then looked behind Heero with a horror stricken face. "What the hell happened to him?"

Heero turned for a moment and sighed. "I'm not to sure, it bothers me that I didn't notice at all. I should have heard something."

Duo shrugged. Heero felt he did that a lot. _'Is this how he deals with his problems? By letting them bounce off him?'_ Heero thought. Either way his braided friend hadn't been acting much like himself for a few days now and it was odd.

"Lets get going, we might as well destroy the crates in the process, and we can't let them get it."

"Yeah but what about them, we made an oath not to kill people."

"I know." Duo was right, but he had already worked it out. "What I want you to do is to throw the grenades at the crates, the soldiers are too far to be directly affected by it. The beam up there will fall first making a sort of barrier. That should be enough for them to escape it."

His friend just stared at him in disbelief. _'He should expect me to come up with plans like this.' _Heero thought.

"Gee Heero do you ever lose your edge? I mean really are you sure this will work?"

"It should" Heero shrugged and turned to the entrance they had entered earlier, making sure to stay hidden in the shadows.

* * *

Duo watched the perfect soldier continue walking away. The only way he would be able to do this was to throw the grenade from the entrance. Sighing Duo started walking in the shadows following Heero as he went. The soldiers he was shooting at weren't too happy about him disappearing on them like that but he was going to lose if he stayed there. 

"Great just great, how does he do that? I'm always stuck with the dirty work and his crazy plans." Duo sighed. It wasn't fair to him that he had to do all the grunt work, while Heero got to leave already.

Stopping at the entrance Duo looked back making sure no one had gotten too close. Luckily they were all standing and looking around confused. The red haired guy, the one in charge; was talking to one of his men sending him in another direction with five other people. That worried Duo, _'What's he up to?' _He thought rubbing a sore on his neck.

Pulling the grenade out of his bag Duo pulled the pin and let it fly. "So far so good, and now on a lighter note, Duo Maxwell has left the building." Duo joked to himself as he left running to where ever Heero went.

* * *

Heero waited for the sound he was looking forward to. Sure enough just as Duo had made it to where he was waiting the explosion went off. Debris flew out from the walls and dust went out from all directions. So far his plan had gone the way he wanted it to, except one thing. 

Several of the OZ soldiers had made their way out before Duo had thrown the grenade and the others will be out soon.

"Aww man I can't believe this. Do these guys ever give up?" Duo asked.

Heero watched as they looked around, they were going to see them no matter what they did.

"Duo." Heero looked back behind them. "We have two choices, run or make another stand here."

"I'd say run!" Duo sounded really scared.

"Good I was hoping you would say that" Duo made an upset face and glared.

"What kind of question was that?" Duo was really not too happy about the way Heero had asked the question. He couldn't help but think his braided friend thought the would make a stand out in the open.

Heero started to back up. "Don't worry about it now just get moving!" Heero ordered.

"Right behind you." Duo cheered.

* * *

Both preventers ran as fast as they could. The alley way held no places to hide or to fight back from. Turning a corner they were faced by a dead end. 

"Great just great, we went down the wrong road." Duo muttered.

Heero looked around a moment and found something that would supply them enough shelter.

"Behind there, we can hold the rest off now." Heero pointed to the dumpster. Suddenly a bullet ran right through his outstretched arm. "Damn it" Heero cursed as he pulled is arm closer into his body.

"Damn those bastrads"

Quickly they both ran behind their protection. Duo took in a breath and tore open his bag, looking for something he had packed that morning.

"Here you shoot I'll bandage." Duo offered.

"Hmmm…" Heero grunted and shot two of the soldiers following them, the rest had flung themselves to the side. It wasn't going to be much longer until they have reinforcements.

"Done!" Duo smiled as he looked over the top of the dumpster and fired three shots. "What the hell!"

"What is it?" Heero looked up to his friend.

"One just went kamikaze on me, he took the shot I was hoping would hit the guy over there."

"Duo!"

"What?" Duo looked down with a confused look.

"Forget the rules. Do what you think you have to."

"But…"

"If you follow the regulations the preventers gave you, you won't live much longer. We need to let them know we won't back down but at this rate we're going to lose this fight. And being captured is not an option."

"Oi, I can't believe you but okay, I'll go by what you say." Duo smiled. He was dying to end it fast. Grinning Duo moved out on Heero's side. "I have a question though first."

"Duo we can't afford questions."

"No wait this one is a good one." Duo said as he stood for a moment and shot one in the chest. "Exactly how many are there, I must have gotten all of em by now." Duo looked back to his best friend. He had him there, Heero quickly looked around the corner.

"You're right. Can you see if there are any you hit earlier?" Heero asked.

Duo slouched beside Heero for a moment. _'What does that have anything to do with us surviving?'_ "Sure whatever." Duo muttered, he would have to put himself on the line to do this.

Looking up he noticed the guy he had shoot in the chest earlier actually standing, he was waiting for Duo's next shot. _'What the hell, it's like we're fighting the dead or something.'_ Duo wasn't used to his targets to stay standing when they should be dead.

"So?"

"You won't believe this but I could have sworn I shot him in the chest." Duo said as he knelt down next to Heero again and pointed out the man he had shot. He knew that guy had to have died, he had been hit where his heart should be.

"How many had you shot to kill so far?"

Duo looked around the corner and sighed. "At least three."

"Damn."

"What?"

"I knew they'd do this sooner or later." Heero was confusing him. Obviously he knew more than he was telling. "Hit them between the eyes. I think that was the message we were being sent in the hangar."

"Message?"

"Just do it."

"Yes sir. Yesh you need to lighten up a bit." Duo stood up and hit the man he had tried to kill earlier in the forehead. He watched closely as the target fell and stayed down. "Yes, one down." Duo smiled but then frowned "Many more to go."

He shot four more in the same spot before things started to quiet down. Of course nothing was going to stay that way when the others who were left behind in the hangar joined the last man.

"Heero!"

"Yeah, I see them."

"Now what? I'm runnin' out of ammunition."

"Me too."

Suddenly there was a loud eruption of noise and then silence.

* * *

Heero heard several people cry out in pain. This confirmed his suspicions. They weren't alone in this fight; someone else was helping them win. Or was there a separate agenda? 

Slowly Heero stepped out from behind the dumpster. There were no shouts and no gunfire.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? We don't know if they're all gone." Duo yelled trying to grab Heero by the sleve.

"There's no one here except for those who are dead, Duo it's safe."

"Man you just keep doing that." Duo sighed as he moved out from behind their shelter and followed Heero. "You're absolutely positive they left?"

"Yes, they left." Heero confirmed. Duo was as right to be worried. This was the first time he had run into the super soldiers and they were very difficult to kill.

"Okay then, so now what, do we head back?"

"Not yet there maybe something left behind by whoever helped us."

"Right and maybe it was the Easter Bunny! " Duo jested. That was annoying Heero hated it when Duo joked like that. "Look they were using their gun I heard it!" Duo sighed. "You're paranoid, you know that?"

"Duo?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up!" Heero grunted. _'He's all worked up now, and I can't think when he does that.'_ Heero moved forward and saw what he was looking for. Lying on his face was a man who was surrounded by a puddle of blood. What caught Heero's eyes was the way the man was laying. Part of his chest was being held up by something.

* * *

Duo waited as Heero moved towards one of the killed men. There was no point in checking, what was it going to prove anyways? That the attacker used a handgun or a rifle. Either way there was no way to track them. 

Coming up behind his friend Duo watched as Heero rolled the man onto his back. _'Yup he's dead.'_ Duo thought to himself partially relived the man was dead. But something was still bothering him. _'What if this guy had a family or if he was married or something. His kids would have no father and his wife would have been widowed. There's a reason why we have these rules, but what choice did we have? Did I do the right thing listening to Heero?'_

Slowly Duo inched forward, sure enough there was some proof to whoever it was that killed the man. Duo watched as Heero tried to pull the knife from the man's chest, but it proved to be more difficult that the perfect soldier had thought.

"Try pulling and twisting, it might be snagged on a rib." Duo added after Heero let go of the handle and sighed in annoyance. In total surprise Heero looked up at Duo.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah I've had that happen to me once, I didn't like it, but it has to be removed either way."

Heero nodded and did exactly as Duo had told him. With a sickening sucking sound the blade came out but only after it gave Heero quite the fight.

"Man that was in good." Duo commented, with a face of utter disgust.

"Yeah but they never came down here."

"Huh but how can you do that? You need to literally stab a guy pretty hard to get that to happen."

"Here take this I want to check his ID." Duo made a weird face. Since when did they check ID? That job was for clean up.

"Sure Heero but I'd rath…." Heero handed Duo the knife but before Duo could finish what he said he dropped the blade. "What the hell, that thing is as light as a feather."

"You noticed huh." Heero stood up with the man's wallet.

Duo looked down at the knife. It was pretty long,it was probably a dagger of some sort,and from the way it was shining in the light, it was pretty sharp. Picking it up Duo ran his finger over the edge. Sure enough it drew blood easily. "What is this made of?"

"Guess."

"Well it's light weight that's for sure. It's very sharp, and very tough." Duo looked up at Heero with horror. "There's no way they can do that, it's a waste of money!"

"But what if they had scraps left over?"

"I guess but just melting it down is expensive."

"True but it lasts twice as long." Heero concluded. Duo hated it when he was always right.

"Sure but still the amount you need would be very small but where would you get that little. Last I checked the shipments only came in large amounts."

"This one was pretty small."

"Yeah true but you're talking to a Sweeper here. I know there is small shipments but they're a lot more expensive and even that one was average if you only wanted enough to make spare parts or repairs." Duo knew what he was talking about. Often he had managed to get small shipments like the one they were after. But they were costly and he only used them to make missing or extra parts.

"Okay then we're looking for something made of gundanium." Heero sighed. Both knew it was a bad sign.

Duo put the blade in his bag and moved next to his best friend. "So this guy got a family?"

"No. He's not attached to anyone or anything. All there is this ID card, but it's useless."

"Well we should call for clean up and report this to Une, don't you think." Duo said as he stretched his arms. "She won't like to hear what happened here but it's better she knows about you super soldiers right?"

"Yes that's true but tell her I killed the men, not you."

"Why? I did!" Duo hated lying but now he understood where Heero was coming from.

"If she finds out it was you, you would lose your job and I don't think having one of us arrested is a good thing at this point. We need to keep clean. If I tell her I did it then I'll be let go, I'm not really a preventer, I was onlycalled in to help."

"Okay but are you sure you want to take all that blame. It's quite the bit to hold on you shoulders."

"What choice do we have? I want to make sure all five of us are able to retaliate if something happens."

"You mean another war?"

"Maybe, either way there's no choice."

"I guess you're right." Duo sighed He didn't want to lie, and technically he wasn't but he knew it would bother him for days afterwards. As both started to walk away Duo suddenly realized something. "Hey you're going to leave again aren't you?"

"Hm…" Heero grunted.

"Man, Relina won't like that, you were her 'bodyguard' for a while and then you disappeared. She'll be mad at you I hope you know that." Duo knew enough about the relationship between the two young people that Heero would leave anyways. "Are you listening to me or what?"

"…" Heero made no response and kept walking. Duo stopped and watched him.

"Heh, I guess you'll be visiting her sooner or later." Duo smiled to himself about what he felt would happen between the two. He knew Heero had feelings for the Vice Foreign Minister. But he had troubles showing them. "Hey wait up, will you!" Duo called out as he ran after Heero.

TBC...

* * *

_A/N: Hmm i wonder what girl Heero was talking about? Well you'll have to keep reading to find out. Compared to the other one this story will have a lot more happening in it so it'll be abetter and easier read._

Please review!


	3. Heero Returns

**Disclaimer:**_ I Do not own Gundam wing._

_Well the story continues. I just want to say that some of The chaters are from the Return of Zero story i had writen first. There have been some changes made to this chapter, not much but it would be best to keep reading anyways that way you still know what's going on._

_**LadyMeko:** Thank you for the nice review I hope you still enjoy this chapter._

* * *

**Chapter 1: Heero Returns**

**3 months later**

_A Hanger Outside the Perventer's Headquaters_

The Hanger was cold dark and damp, like all hangers. There was no sound of work or people. There weren't any people, only large machines. Machines that the world had chosen to throw away and destroy. The only reason why the Perventers had these was for leverage, against a hidden faction of OZ revolutionists who were still fighting to survive. Only one person knew them from looking at them, and that was Heero Yuy.

Heero looked up at the mobile suit. '_I thought that I would be rid of fighting.' _He thought with a sigh.

'_We were originally sent to Earth to end the war and fulfill our missions for the colonies, only to have them turn on us and cast us out. After a long year of fighting we finally managed to reach our goals, only to be shot down once again with the uprising of Mariemaia and her army.'_

Too much has happened in those years for all of them. '_Now the war may start all over again; only this time none of us know what's happening, it's as the war is happening without us'. _Heero looked up at the mobile suit again. "We shouldn't have destroyed the gundams. Not yet, it was too soon."

Too many people have been caught trying to rebuild new mobile suits and Heero had spent most of his time trying to hunt down the plants to destroy them. Unfortunately without the threat of the gundams there would be nothing to stop them. He was only person who was able to act without asking permission from the government. The Perventers were stretched thin, unable to act fast enough and were also fairing as badly as he was.

The last mission he had as a Preventer was three months ago; part time work he had agreed to, ended nearly in failure. Surprisingly he and Duo nearly wound up dead due to a group of OZ operatives still clinging to the organization. Luckily they were the one's with luck on their side but five people paid the ultimate price in that encounter.

Although Duo had killed over five of the soldiers, Heero had taken the blame for his friend. Commander Une though, didn't take it as lightly as he had thought and he knew his credibility with the Preventers was starting to run dry.

Taking a life was out of the question if you worked as a Preventer, first and most important rule states that, killing will be dealt with by severe punishment. Luckily Heero was basically 'acting on his own' at the time and not as a Preventer.

* * *

(Flashback)

_Heero and Duo came rushing into the Preventer's headquarters both looking weary from the battle and the return trip. Neither of the young men were surprised to see both Commander Une and Sally Poe waiting for them._

_"You're late!" The Commander seemed agitated._

_"We had some trouble." Heero stated calmly while Duo fidgited._

_"From the look of you two I'm guessing you didn't manage to get the shipment." Une scowled._

_Duo's head feel in defeat. "We almost did but there were a few OZ soldiers looking for it too."_

_"Did they get it?" Une asked now more accusing._

_"No we made sure they wouldn't be able to get it out without being detected." Heero answered for his defeated freind._

_"Any casualties?"_

_Both men looked at each other as if they were hoping she had ment them. "Yes but from the other side."_

_"How many?" Now her features showed sorrow. _

_"Five were at my hands and three more we can't quite place." Heero answered calmly again._

_"What do you mean three you can't place?"_

_"One of the super soldiers was killed in the first ten minutes, but not by my hands. About twenty minutes after another was killed much the same way. The last was stabbed in the chest but from our angle there was no way we could tell who it was." Heero reported. _

_"They left this behind in one of the men." Duo pulled the knife from his coat pocket and handed the feather light balde to a plae Une._

_"You're sure this is what you had found?" Une seemed more scared than confused._

_"Let me see." Sally jumped in and took the kinfe. "Is this made of whatI think it is?"_

_"hmm." Heero nodded while Duo just looked on in confusion._

_"I'll go anaylize it, there might be some prints or blood on it that might link it to the killer." Sally offered._

_"Please do I'd like to get to the bottom of this." Une said as Sally left the room with the only piece of evidence they had to the myserious killer._

_"As for you two. Heero you should have known better than to take a life, but you took five, that's too many."_

_"Yes mamm I know and I won't let it happen again." Heero tried his best to make it sound sincere but he felt more like he was saying this sort of thing often._

_"Duo!" The young man she was addressing suddenly froze in mid fidget. "You should go clean up, you have another mission in a few hours. And the next time you're working with Heero make sure he doesn't kill anyone. Is that understood?"_

_Duo slowly nodded and watched as she left the room. "Yesh she's up tight today." Duo muttered as he slouched._

_"You owe me you know that?"_

_"Yeah thanks man I needed that. I bet she would have tourtured me if it was me." Duo smiled._

_"I wouldn't put it past her." heero snorted_

_"So where are you going?"_

_"I'm not to sure." Heero shrugged. "I'm going to go find out more about those soldiers, they bother me."_

_"Okay but stay in touch would you." Duo smiled as he started to walk away. "Tell me what you find i'd like to give'em a piece of my mind." Duo waved as he left down a hallway..._

* * *

(End flashback)

He never did keep in touch but that wasn't entirely his fault. He knew eventually he'd have to face the wrath of his best frind, but the circumstances were against him either way.

Suddenly a loud sound erupts from behind him interrupting his thoughts.

"Hey Heero!" Duo yells happily from across the hanger.

'_Great! Will he ever be quiet for one moment?' _Heero thought as the braided boy ran towards him with the usual grin; that Heero didn't really like that much. "What do you want Duo?" Heero stated flatly, turning to face his friend.

"Nothing really, just that it's been a while since we all saw you last." He said childishly placing his hands in his pockets. "So where have you been so long? We were looking for ya."

Heero looked at his friend for what seemed to Duo as an eternity. Heero then shrugged and simply answered, "No where." Knowing well enough that Duo wouldn't take that answer very well, Heero turned and walked toward the mobile suit. Surprisingly Duo changed the subject.

"Heh, well since you weren't here they decided to let me take the first Taurus for a test run," Grinning widely he added. "So you're going to have to wait your turn." Waving a finger at Heero and then abruptly stopping, since he'd only be able to do that once and still have a hand.

"Hmm...sounds right that they made that decision, if only they knew you'd end up dead." Heero turned to watch his friend's reaction.

"Uh..." Duo murmured making a clueless face. "WHAT!" He shouts. " Hey wait a minute," Duo waved his hands in front of himself. "Where did you hear this?" Duo asked shakily as he backed away from Heero. "That makes no sense, why would someone want to kill me? What did I do?" Heero had heard that last question countless times, usually when Duo did do something.

Heero tilted his head and looked directly at Duo and quickly pulled out his gun; relishing the look of bewilderment on Duo's face. '_I thought he was better than this, to trust me to much when I tell him bad news. All he has to do is let me take the mobile suit.'_

"Heero you're not the one that's going to kill me? Are you?" Duo asked kicking himself mentally for the stupid question.

'_Ugh what a stupid question_.' Heero's eyes narrowed. "No! But I will if you don't let me take that mobile suit." Heero then cocked his gun and waited for Duo's decision.

Duo just froze and stared. It seemed as if he was thinking Heero's words through carefully. "Does this have something to do with me testing the Taurus first." Duo asked. '_It's possible. It sounds like something he'd do.'_

Heero sighed heavily. "Duo, I'm going to pull the trigger." Heero narrowed his eyes once again.

"You're not really going to go through with this are you?" Duo looked more concerned now. "I mean how many times did you point a gun at me?" He was starting to panic. Duo stopped talking as Heero's finger tightened even more on the trigger. "Oh, man you're really going to do it...uh..fine!" Duo said looking rather upset. "But you have to admit that you held me at gun point. "Duo finished, letting his head drop in defeat.

"Deal, They'd accept that, they'll understand soon enough why I'm doing this." With that Heero turned again and left running towards the Taurus.

"Hey Heero! Wait!" Duo yelled, Heero stopped and turned to look back. "Do me a favour." Duo called again.

"What?" Heero asked in his usual manner.

"Well actually two. First I want you to come back with that thing in one piece; and last I want you to stay for a bit so we can all get some answers about what's going on." Heero glared at Duo and curtly nodded and with that he climbed the ladder to the catwalk, and hurried to the cockpit to get ready to leave the hanger.

* * *

With that as his signal Duo ran to the hanger door controls and began to input the key code to open the doors for his friend. '_Please don't disappear, I don't want to tell Relina that you're gone again to work alone, she really needs you're support now.'_

"Duo!" Heero's voice crackled over the com line. "I'm going to keep in touch throughout the test run, but every ten minutes instead of every three."

"Sure thing, just remember to come back." With that he pulled the final switched to open the hanger doors, and watched his friend fly away.

TBC..

* * *

_A/N: Well no answers yet huh. Well keep readig to find out a bit more._

_Please Review._


	4. Encounter

_Disclaimer: I don't own it!_

_**LadyMeko:** I have no clue why others aren't reviewing, I wish some did but in time there will be others reading it I'm sure. I'm really glad ythat you still like that last chapter the next few are my favorites and of course there are many more to come. Keep reading and thank you for your input I really apperciate it._

_"..." Speech_

_'Thoughts'_

* * *

**Chapter 2: Encounter**

_Mobile Suit Testing Site_

The screen in the mobile suit blipped only to be answered by the opening of a girl's eyes. "They're early," She mumbled. "What's going on here? They're half an hour early, this isn't right," The girl watched the blip on her radar as it moved swiftly toward her as if it knew where she was and what she was about to do.

"This can't be right. How could he know I was coming?" As the blip moved closer she hit the screen to turn it on from its usual dark state. She wasn't to thrilled since it gave her no time to ambush the pilot.

_'It's not flying right to be my target.' _She thought as she watchedthe mobile suit move toward her rapidly._ 'It's not his style to come charging right at me. This is wrong, it's not what I was taught!' _The girl took a closer look and could feel her body trying to tell her to run. _'Why am I worried? It's just a Taurus, I've destroyed enough of them in my life...Huh? I know who fights like this! Shit that's not right, how did he know I was coming._' The girl shook her head trying to keep herself in check._'No matter, I can destroy him easily.' _The girl moved her hand quickly and opened the com line. '_I'll give him a chance to change his mind; he's of more use to me alive than dead.'_

"Heero, it's no use! Either you turn around and live, or you stay and be destroyed."

"I won't let you kill Duo, you should stop this and disappear, like we all should have. Killing him will only get you in deeper than you already are." Heero's eyes narrowed as he added. "I hope you know, Wufei is out looking for you now; if you stop here I'll call him off."

"It's to late for that! The war has already started all over again! I follow my instincts and what I know, not what you tell me." The girl answered back with the same tone.

"Then stop! Duo isn't even involved in this war, none of us are." Heero began to sound a little annoyed.

"You have no idea why I'm doing this so stay out of it!" Ray was expecting Heero to answer her back but he made no reply. Instead she noticed that he was preparing to strike.

* * *

_Pereventer's Headquarteres_

Heero's face appeared on the large screen where everyone was waiting for a response from the pilot.

"I found the target, commencing test run, I will destroy the target."

"Ha! Told ya," Duo said waving a finger in Wufei's face. "I told you he took it and you didn't believe me."

Wufei gave Duo the best death glare he could, and looked back at the screen only to watch Heero reroute the camera so they could see the mobile suit he was intending to fight.

It wasn't much, actually it looked more like it was falling appart. There was no noticable weapon and it seemed to operate much like a gundam. The question was, what was it?

"What's going on here?" Sally questioned as she entered the room only to see Duo staring at the mobile suit "Duo! You're supposed to be testing the new Taurus we got back from repairs." She looked down at the young man in the chair and crossed her arms waiting for an answer. She wasn't expecting one, Duo rarely gave her a straight answer when Heero was involved. Right niw she was more worried about the Taurus, both Heero and Duo seemed to be the worst for breaking them and the other pilots weren't much of an acception.

Duo just simply looked up and smiled "It's a long story, but so far Heero's going to test it for me. Let's just say we made a deal and he promised to keep it"

"That's a new one Maxwell!" Wufei laughed."How did you manage that? Can he trust the deals you make? Is that a safe idea Maxwell?" Wufei laughed again. Duo's deals were usually one sided and uaully it was the braided man that won everytime. Occasionally it would be Heero who wins the bet but it's almost normal to hear a gun was involved.

* * *

Moments later the door to the control room flew open "WAIT HEERO!" Quatre yelled as he ran forward with another young man and Howard following.

"Please don't start fighting now! Let me talk to that pilot, I might be able to get them to stand down." The strange young man pleaded looking desperate.

Heero studied the blonde on his screen and made a quick decision, "Fine, avoiding a fight right now is the best thing to do now. We don't need to give anyone else any more ideas right now!" He sighed. '_That's odd it's been a year since I had been in a mobile suit or in a fight and I almost welcome them both.'_

"Thank you Heero." Howard said realising that if it wasn't for his presence Heero might not have believed the boy next to him at all.

Sally walked towards the consol and pressed a few keys, "It's a safe line, so you can talk to them without anyone listening in."

"Sally, is it also possible that we could talk to that pilot alone as well?" Howard asked trying not to push his luck too much with her.

Looking confused Sally nodded, "Alright! Duo, Wufei, Quatre lets go. I've got a few things I need to discuss with you three anyways." With that all four left the room.

* * *

Plunking himself down in one of the chairs Howard turned to look at the blonde. "Well go on Jock, you dragged me here to get them to listen, lets just hope that she didn't change her mind while she's waiting."

Jock sighed heavily, "You do know she'll kill me with the night shift right?"

"Hmm... She could always do worse to you."

"Yeah you're right she could make me clean and fix that mobile suit of hers." Jock grabbed the head set sitting on the consol and pushed the right sequence so he could talk. "Ray! I hope you can heard me, you're making a big mistake!"

The girls face came into view. "Jock you don't have to yell it's quiet over there, you're not at the scrap yard." She answered calmly looking annoyed.

"Ray you can't kill Heero, or Duo for that matter. They're both too important, they can actually help you, just use them to finish off OZ." Ray gave him a glare that made him feel small and insignificant. '_Damn it! Why does she have to do that, it's creepy.' _Jock thought as he shivered. "Ray listen to me you have to stop this there's no point in killing the people on your side. They'll help you if you tell them what's really going on. You promised me you'd do what you can without killing them." Now he was worried, she didn't say anything. '_Can that thing in her head be censoring what I say? Wait no it makes her sane; did she turn it off?' _

"Ray, one of them works here from time to time, He's a sweeper just like you. What did he do to deserve this?" Ray looked him right in the eye. Now Jock felt he got the response he wanted. '_That's it, now you'll listen to me_.'

"What are you talking about? Just let me do what I'm supposed to do." Ray snapped back calmly.

"Ray! What are you trying to prove? Killing them won't change what OZ did to you. It'll make catching you much easier without them as a distraction. The only reason you're here is to test yourself. Only I know that you'll get carried away and kill him anyways, you know that!" Jock watched her reaction but he wasn't going to let her off that easy.

"Last week you barely escaped from OZ! If it wasn't for Duo and Heero distracting them you would have been caught and god knows what they would have done to you then." Now all he had to do was wait.

* * *

_Mobile Suit Testing Site_

Ray looked at Jock for a moment, cut the line and opened a newone to Heero. "Fine, I'll back down. You're lucky Jock came to your defence. I'll let you go for now, but if I ever run into Duo he'll end up dead!"

Heero's eyes narrowed. '_She means it! But I doubt Duo would make it that easy_.' "I hope it won't come to that," He answered calmly trying to equal her tone. "Duo won't be an easy target especially when being attacked. He knows more places to hide than even I know!" With that Heero turned his mobile suit around and flew back to base.

Ray flung her fist against that keypad and shut all lines. She sat there in the dark shuddering. '_This has to end soon I 'm losing control_.' This failure wasn't Heero's or Duo's fault it was her own fault she had listened and she had to admit that she was running to conclusions too fast. Sighing she turned her mobile suit in the direction she remembered and OZ base. '_I might as well take care of another problem if I can't finish this one!'_

* * *

_Perventer Headquarters_

Sally stood outside the control room with annoyed look playing across her face while she glared at Duo as he slowly backed away, "Duo what the hell's going on here? You were the one schedualed for that test run not Heero. He's not even a Perventer!"

Duo stopped and looked around answering simply, "I have no clue what's going on, we'll have to ask Heero when he comes back."

Behind them the door to the control room opened. Howard and the blonde stepped out.

Quatre smiled "You stopped the fight?"

"Yes and just in time, we were lucky they listened to us!" Howard answered.

"Is there any chance you could tell us who 'they' are?" Duo was getting annoyed; they didn't tell him anything. No one seemed to want to tell him anything.

"Sorry Duo, not this time it's more important that we keep their identity a secret." Howard laughed as Duo crossed his arms and pouted like a child.

"So now what?" Sally asked, "Will this happen again or is it over?"

"Well there won't be any problems from this pilot, but there are some rumours flying around that you guys aren't the only ones still with mobile suits."

"Well I'll be glad to take them on any day" Duo said coming back into the conversation cracking his knuckles. "I miss a good mobile suit battle, it's getting too quiet around here. The air just seems to hang and people don't seem to say much." Duo looked at Howard, "Are you still planning on building the Taurus for us?"

"So far, as long as if we don't have any problems with the new laws!"

Sally smiled. "We have it all worked out, your people will be allowed to work on them without any problems. Actually I have the paper work in my office. Do you mind coming with me to get them?"

"No not at all, why not kill two birds with one stone!" Turning to the blonde boy, "Jock wait for me at the truck I'll be there in five minutes"

"Okay!" Jock nodded.

* * *

As Howard and Sally walked to her office Duo gave Jock a glare "So you're that new guy everyone was talking about!"

"Huh? Oh yeah I'm not really new, I just haven't beenon Earthfor a long time!" Jock answered with an honest smile that faded to match Duo's glare.

"Well it's nice meeting you Jock. I hope we'll see you when we pick up the other Taurus!" Quatre jumped in trying to change the subject.

"Yeah it was nice to meet you! I should go!" He sighed as he walked to the entrance.

Quatre watched him walk away and then turned to Duo, "Why did you do that? He was being nice! You scared him away!"

"I just don't trust him! Besides he should get a tougher skin." Duo answered

Wufei smiled and laughed, "I have a feeling Maxwell, that you wanted his job! Are you jealous?"

"Why would I be jealous?" He asked as they all walked towards the cafeteria to wait for Heero. "I haven't been there all week and I don't remember seeing him at all!"

"Maybe you're over reacting a bit, I think he's quite normal!"

"Nope I don't believe that he's normal. That bandana on his head had blood on it, and he was 'acting' nervous the whole time. He was perfectly calm! There's no why that he's normal at all and besides he works with a mechanic that first of all I never met, and I heard that they're really rough. I mean they work you to the bone!" Duo smiled as he noticed that Wufei understood what he was getting at!

" You're right he did seem pretty clam."

"I can't believe it both of you are nuts!" Quatre said looking at them both "I bet he's more normal than..."

"You!" Duo added, "I bet you fifty bucks rich boy!"

Now Wufei was interested in this bet. '_Is Winner going to take it, I doubt it!'_

"Fine you're on Duo but I know I'm right"

"Oh no you're not! There's just no way he's normal."

...TBC

* * *

_A/N: well there are mostly small changes but it's better than in the other story. _

_Well anyways please review._


	5. The Other Side

_**Disclaimer**: I don't own it._

_Thank you all who have been readuing this storyI really appreciate the reviews\_

_**Shinori**: Thank you so much for the great review. i'm really glad you liked this story so much! I hope uyou continue to enjoy it._

* * *

**Chapter 3: The Enemy**

_The same time:_

_**A secret OZ base**_

A knock sounded at the Commander's door.

"Yes!" The Commander barked from his chair. This was starting to annoy him. How many young people would he have to see about this problem, and then tell thier families they had died!

"Commander! Lieutenant Reid, as you requested?" A young voice called through the door apprehensively.

"Come in!" The Commander answered back. "You're late Lieutenant!"

"Yes, I'm very sorry sir but there was something I had to take care of first. I deeply apologise." Reid hung his head low expecting to be reprimanded for his tardiness.

"Yes well, these things can't be helped. Just don't let it happen again. Please sit!" The Commander waved a hand to the chair in front of him. He'd seen too many young officers like this one who had high hopes only to have them smashed or sliced to pieces by the fugitive they were after. The only thing that made this young man any different was that he had experience from during the war and was just as ruthless and the one they're after.

"Tell me what did you find at that hanger last week?" The Commander asked as he leaned forward, the grizzly scar on his cheek gleaming in the light.

"Uh," gulped the Lieutenant "Nothing sir we found nothing! It was completely empty." Reid could feel sweat forming on his forehead. '_Why is he asking me this? It was all in my report. Is he so mad at me that he's going to get rid of me? It's not unusual at times like this that they'd kill someone if he got their plans exposed. Ever since Vice Foreign Minister Darlain created the UESN, we had to sneak around like a bunch of rats.'_ He thought as he clenched his fists on his lap.

"Hmm strange, I was certain the salvage logs said that they had shipped gundianium to that location."

"Sir may I ask a question?" Reid asked in a calm tone, trying not to express how nervous he was.

"Yes you may." The Commander answered leaning back in his chair while studying the young man in front of him.

"Why would they send a whole shipment of gundianium to a location like that? The hanger was rundown and about to crumble. It could have fallen on the shipment, they would never be able to get it all out of the rubble without anyone noticing."

"You are right Lieutenant! But my informant told meit was a small shipment andthey often did this a bit at a time. Therefore no one would even notice what was really going on there, and if it fell only a fraction of the shipment would be lost." The Commander looked back at the young Lieutenant "You must have found something, one of your men is missing, isn't that so?"

"Oh… I'm sorry Sir. I forgot to mention, aside from finding nothing in the hanger we did find two of the preventers sneaking around the hanger as well. We think they were looking for the same thing as we were." Reid finally calmed down. The Commander just wanted to know from him what happened.

"Which ones were they?"

" The ex-pilots 01 and 02 Sir." Now he was starting to question why he was dragged out of a good night's sleep for this.

"Did you dispose of them?" The Commander asked as he opened a ratty file that was sitting on his desk.

"No Sir, someone interfered!"

"Did they have any back up?"

"No Sir, none that we saw, whoever they were, they hung to the shadows." Just remembering that day sent shivers down his spine. No one could move like whoever it was. It was as if every bullet had hit them, but made no difference; they just wouldn't die.

The Commander looked up from the file he was reading and stared at the young Lieutenant. '_He's a very lucky one, he might just pull through.'_ The Commander thought, as he looked at the young man even closer. "Well then lieutenant Reid, you are a very lucky young man. Most of my people never live to tell about it."

"Sir?" Reid now looked at the Commander with a confused look. '_What's he talking about? Has he finally cracked?'_

The Commander pulled a small picture from the file and handed it to Lieutenant Reid "Do you know who this is?"

Reid took the photo carefully as if expecting the old Commander to lash out at him and looked at it more closely. The girl in it was like nothing he'd ever seen before. She must have been in her late teens around 17 or 18. The feature that caught his eye first was her white hair._ 'Who is she? Why does she look like that? What the hell does this have to do with me?'_ Reid looked up at the commander, " No sir I don't. I've never seen her before."

"Good, but you will in time. Her name is Ray. As far as we know she has no last name, so she'll be a hand full to find." The Commander leaned forward again. "Lieutenant, take a good look at that picture, the next time you see her it might be your last!"

"Commander, why?" Reid asked handing the photo back.

"As I had said before most don't live to tell about it" He answered back placing the photo neatly back into the file.

"You think it was her who helped the preventers?" Reid asked narrowing his eyes.

"I'm certain of it, she's the only one who can help them right now. Lets just say that she doesn't follow the rules." The Commander leaned back and pulled out another file from his drawer, this one was much thicker and looked as if it were about to burst. Written on one of the tabs was Maxwell in bold balck letters.

"What does all this have to do with me?" Reid asked skeptically. He knew he was going to hate the answer. He always seemed to get the worst assignments, most of them messy.

"Well you have two choices. One I'm going to advise you to do more than the other." The Commander looked through the file, to make sure nothing was missing._ 'It took me months to find ex-pilot 02. To think the whole time he was right under my nose. I'm sure Lieutenant Reid can handle either one but 02 will be easier than the girl.' _" What I want you to do is find this young man" The Commander handed Reid the photo of ex-pilot 02. "He's far easier to find and capture. The real problem is the girl might try something drastic to keep him out of our reach." He said as he handed the Lieutenant another photo.

Reid studied the photo and nodded.This was a recent photo of 02.The young man had long brown hair, tied back in a briad which, in the photo looked as if it never ended. '_I've seen him somewhere just a few days ago! He was a real pain in the ass two weeks ago. I was more worried about 01 than him, but he managed to wound five of my men. I'll be happy to settle the score with him.' _"Sir is that it? You want me to get rid of him?"

"No, I want him alive, he's a very useful young man. Also if there's any way of capturing the girl, it would go a long way! But I want them both alive." The Commander folded his hands on his desk, "Is that clear?"

"Yes Commander Morgan! I'll make sure myself that they make it here alive." Reid answered. '_Finally I get something worth doing. Hopefully either one won't put up a fight.'_

"Good then you may go, and take these, they'll help you more than you think." He said as he handed Lieutenant Reid the two folders.

As the Lieutenant took the folders and walked proudly out the door, Commander Morgan turned his chair to look out the window. " I hope he pulls this off. It would be a waste if he ends up dead like the others. That girl is a menace to our plans of throwing Vice Foreign Minister Darlain out of the UESN and eradicate the fake feeling of pacifism." He sighed heavily. "Soon I will have to retire" He sighed again as he turned to look at a photo on his desk."hmm... soon."

...TBC

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_A/N:Well i hope you enjoyed this one. Commander Morgan plays a really short yet important role in this story So you'll be seeing more of him._

_Please review._


	6. Some Things Never Change

_Disclaimer: I don't own it._

_Thank you everyone._

_**Shinori**: Thanks I'm glad your really into it. I hope you enjoy this one, the one after this i'm sure you'll enjoy a lot._

_**KraZeeLilMee**: Wow you really liked it, Thank you for the awsome Review and here's the update. Enjoy the read._

_**LadyMeko**: That's okay if your reviews aren't really detailed, just tell me what you think it doesn't ave to be a page long, And thank you again for the great review!_

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**Chapter 4: Some Things Never Change**

_Mobile Suit Testing Site_

Heero watched as the mobile suit he had nearly fought turn and leave towards the East. Everything was starting to fall apart and it was really starting to annoy him. The girl had gotten in his way on several occasions and in each he barely made it out with his life. The worst partabout this new war was there were five others like her. The only comfort he had was, the rest weren't and never will be as clever or asagile as the girl.

"I had better return, Sally will be livid with what happened by now," Heero turned the mobile suit back to base and flew back dreading having to fill everyone in on the out break of this new war; no matter how small it was, it was still a major problem. '_The only reason I had returned was to protect Relina; I know they're targeting her but who will protect Duo? He's the one they're really after, but why, I still haven't figured that out yet.' _Heero sighed heavily and watched the sky more closely as he flew on. _'I'll have to get Wufei and maybe Trowato watch over Duo, they'll be able to keep a watch on him for a while, until I'm sure it's not Relina they're after.'_

* * *

After about an hour of flying Heero was finally able to see the base. _'Looks like they're expecting me…' _But his thoughts were suddenly interrupted when one of the emergency lights blipped on; warning him that the fuel was low and the reactor was about to blow. 

"What the hell, this can't be right, everything was in order before I left. Duo had run a routine diagnostic on it an hour before I had arrived." He cursed as he pulled up the data update Duo had made. Sure enough all was in order nothing was done wrong.

"I should have known better, that girl must have snuck in and sabotaged it; expecting Duo to be piloting it." Heero typed furiously on the controls trying to isolate the problem_. ' She really knows mobile suits; I can't get past her codes. Damn she made sure I can't fix the problems.'_

Heero stopped typing and attempted to land the Taurus on its feet, which he luckily managed without much difficulty. _' She did this in case she couldn't finish him off. Damn and she knew it would do this, no wonder she didn't ignore that guy, either way in her mind I was going to be dead anyways.'_ Heero punched the control panel and cursed; he was going to have to get out now and run for cover. He could easily hear the reactor wirring and trying to compensate for the increasing heat and pressure.

"I'll have to pay her back for this." Heero punched the emergency hatch release half expecting it to stay locked. But luckily the hatch swished open and he lowered himself to the ground safely and ran as fast as he could to lower ground. Eventually he found a ditch and flung himself in, just in time before the blast reached him, showering him with pieces of metal and other flaming parts. _'Duo will love this heap, unfortunately Sally won't.' _Heero thought as he stood up to survey the damage, only to face a pile of burning metal. Heero brushed himself off and began to walk trough the wreckage and headed towards the preventer's Headquarters.

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_Perventer Air Strip_

Sally watched as a flicker of light appeared in the distance and began to take form of the missing Taurus. She wasn't completely surprised that Heero had taken the suit from Duo; it was the fact that Duo let him without knowing why, that bothered her and infuriated her.

Heero often appeared without warning and usually there was something up. This time Sally had a feeling he was concerned about Relina, but for some reason she doubted that Relina would be the target. After a few attempts the assasins hired to kill her had given up because of the ex-Wing pilot.

"Miss Poe, the Taurus has slowed, he's preparing to bring it in." A Perventer called.

"Thank you Thomas, I'll make sure preparations are done." Looking back she noticed all was in order already, it really wasn't a new idea to them. On several occasions now they had had over four of the Taurus blow up in landing. Half were due to the pilots having little knowledge or skill in piloting, the other half however were a mystery. She was surprised at just how few people they had that could pilot a Taurus skillfully, which meant that Noin had a lot on her plate once she came back from the Moon.

The noise of people moving the various equipment abruptly died and a hush spread to those working.

"Miss Poe, I'm sorry to interrupt but it appears he had landed the mobile suit out a few miles." Perventer Thomas advised her.

"WHAT?" Sally asked snapping to from her thoughts " Someone get me a radio." She called.

"Yes ma'm" A Perventer answered, as he came back moments later with a radio already set to the appropriate frequency.

Silence reigned when Sally grabbed the headpiece but before she could even address the pilot a loud explosion shook the landing area; as the mobile suit blew up in a brilliant show of flame and metal.

"DAMN!" Sally cursed "Looks like we're going to have to get someone to clean that up."

"What about the pilot miss Poe?" Thomas asked looking concerned.

Sally smiled, "He's fine. He'll be here in an hour or two." _'And that's when I'll give him a peice of my mind'_ she thought.

"But Miss Poe the suit blew up. There's no way he could have gotten out in time, or lived through that explosion."

"He was out as soon as he landed Thomas, he's alive and well, you'll see when he comes in through the front door." She looked back at the site where the explosion occurred. _'Lets jus hope he is in one piece because he won't be once I'm through with him.'_

* * *

After an hour and a half of walking Heero finally made it to the Perventer's headquarters. Walking in through the doors he noticed Sally waiting for him.He wasn't really concerned considering the information he had to pass on, but still an angery Sally was not a good one! Duo had ofetn proven that fact. 

"Looks like you ran into some trouble." Sally stated giving him a smirk.

"Does this happen often?" Heero asked stopping before he reached her.

"No none like this, it was pretty dramatic. I have to admit, it even had me worried you wouldn't come out in one piece." Sally unfolded her arms and showed him the way to her office. "You'll have to tell me what's really going on though." She paused and looked at him more closely. "I'm glad you didn't let Duo take that Taurus out, I had a feeling as I watched it explode that he probably would have tried to fix it right to the point at which it was going to blow up."

"Hmmm…" Was her only response.

Sally Laughed and followed the ex-gundam pilot. " Some things will never change."

TBC..

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_A/N: Poor Heero, he better not let Wufei know he was nearly killed by a woman(heh heh). Well anyways it looks like Heero's been having sometroubles with this woman. _

_Anyways Please Review and tell em what you think, or anything you want :D_


	7. Say What

_Disclaimer: I don't own it,I wishI did._

_**LadyMeko:** Yeah Duo fixing it as it blows up just seemed to be something he'd do. Well i hope you like this one as much_

_**KraZeeLilMee:** YEah lots more will happen to them all I assure you that, butI bet you saw that coming from the way things have been going. Well enjoy, there's more humor to come._

**_Thank you all who have reviewed I really enjoy them._**

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**Chapter 5: Say What?**

It had been over two hours since Heero had arrived. News of the explosion and Heero's meeting with Sally had already spread to the three ex-pilots in the cafeteria. Wufei and Quatre were both surprised and concerned for their friend. Duo however, didn't even respond to the news. Instead, he just sat with his feet propped up on the table and leaned back so only two legs of the chair were on the floor.

"Tell me you're surprised at least a little." Quatre frowned. Duo never seemed so calm or patient before. Actually lately he had be acting very strange.

"Nope!" Duo said as he folded his hands behind his head.

"Maxwell, you're going to fall!" Wufei stated blankly. Knowing full well as much as he wished his friend would fall, that he wouldn't. "Why are we even waiting? Yuy is here already."

Duo sat up, "Well, right now I think it's better that we let Sally first hear his explanation. Then she won't come after me!" He really didn't want to end up on the wrong side of her temper.

"MAXWELL!" Wufei yelled as he stood up "Do you always think of yourself…" But before he could finish Duo had gotten up and wandered over to the food and started stacking a plate.

Quatre laughed, "I think first, he thinks of his stomach,thenhe'll think of himself." Still laughing, Quatre watched as Wufei sat down, sighed heavily and put his head down on the table.

"Tell me when Yuy comes. I can't stand to watch him eat at a time like this."

"A time like what?" Duo asked swallowing a mouthful and sitting down. "Nothing really happened. He's alive that's all that matters. All we have to do is wait until Sally's done chewing his head off first." Duo ate another fork full of what looked like it had been something like lesoniea. "As for eating, I'm hungry. I haven't eaten in two days so give me a bit of a break."

"Hmm... Still, I can't see how you can eat all that."

Duo smiled. "It's easy Wufei I…"

"Okay I think I've had enough about what you're eating." Quatre interrupted before they started a fight. "Duo why did Heero take that Taurus?" That was really what he wanted to know.

Duo looked up and watched Quatre for a moment. "Not a clue. He gave me his, 'You're going to die' speech and then threatened me like he always does. He really needs to learn how to tell me things like that without his gun, it's not like I'm going to tell him no and shoot him." Duo waved his fork, "Man it's like he can't trust me or something." He mumbled placing the fork down.

"Maxwell, I can't even trust you when you're quiet, let alone asleep." Wufei sighed still with his head on the table.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Duo asked standing up ready to defend himself from another retort.

Wufei looked up " I meant that…"

"What's going on here?" A familiar monotone voice asked.

"Heero!" Quatre cheered, "What happened?" concern playingb across his face.

Duo sat down just as Heero did, and leaned back once more with his arms crossed. _'This ought to be good.'_

"The mobile suit's reactor blew up!" He stated simply.

"Yeah we know about that but why?" Duo asked.

"I think the pilot that had attacked me did it…somehow." Heero looked at Quatre who looked as if he were about to have a nervous breakdown. "I'm still trying to figure that out."

"Duo? You checked the Taurus, was there anything odd?" He asked turning to face his friend.

Duo had long finished his meal but was still looking at his plate as if more food would magically appear. "No, I would have put it in the log if there was anything odd." Walking away for a moment Duo threw his plastic plate in the garbage can and sat back down across from Heero. "Why would they try to blow me up? Come to think of it; isn't there something you wanted to tell me?"

"Hmm…" Heero grunted looking at his surroundings for a moment. Duo felt as if his friend had developed a nervous tick; or something like it, during his time away. "Yes there was."

"Well spill it! I'm starting to get anxious, it's really driving me nuts."

"Duo let him rest a moment, a lot has happened today!" Quatre scolded.

"It's fine I don't need to rest, not yet anyways." Heero stated, "You remember I told you someone was after you?" He asked Duo.

"Yes, but what did I do and why me? I mean I could see them chasing you or Relina, but me, it's a bit foolish. What use am I to whoever it is? Who is it anyways?" Duo asked scrunching up his face in confusion.

"Probably OZ." Wufei added.

"I think so but it's a small faction, nothing like the specials. Because of the UESN there are fewer people among their ranks. Or at least I believe so."

"Wait! You don't know?" Duo now looked worried. "You're guessing?" Duo looked scared. "Why can't you just hack into their system and get the numbers there?"

"I can't." Heero glared.

"What…WHY NOT!" Duo yelled. _'How can he not? He's a better hacker than me, no one's better than him.'_

"Duo please, don't yell." Quatre asked trying to control his friend. This was only a fraction of Duo's odd behaviour, hopefully he can get to the bottom of it before it's to late.

"There was a fire wall I can't break through. I've never seen anything like it before."

"Great, just great." Duo sighed, "So there are these guys out there looking for me to kill me. How did I know this wouldn't be easy." Mumbling Duo placed his head down.

"Actually I'm not to sure of that!"

"Huh? But…" He raised his head.

"The information I had gotten didn't say anything about killing you."

"But you just said…"

"I said I wasn't sure! What I do know is that girl was trying to kill you."

"SAY WHAT? WHAT GIRL?"

"Duo!" Quatre hissed.

"Sorry! But how can a girl… Why?"

"I think she might be on our side though."

"Well don't I just feel great about that!" Duo grumbled sarcastically "Some OZ faction wants to 'get' me and a girl is trying to kill me, but hey everything is fine he says. Yes everything's fine!Except that I have an assassin after me that I haven't met, and she even on my side. WHAT THE HELL? I'm supposed to feel safe, get real!" Duo was about to lose it.

"Duo I'm sure you can handle her!" Wufei commented trying his best to calm down the hysterical man infront of him.

"I don't think so, Heero's getting at something." Duo answered turning pale.

"Yeah, she's not normal!" Heero added flatly. Duo made a loud gulping sound as he heard Heero's words.

All three preventers looked at him, concern stricken across each face. "She's as good as I am, maybe even better."

"How's that possible?" Quatre didn't like where this was going. "We were trained by the scientists, they would have told us before the war ended if there was anyone left they had trained."

"I don't think they trained her…at least not initially."Heero sighed, now he really didn't want to expalin where she got her training, not at this point. He knew for sure, but it's something he'd like to avoid for a while.

"What? Professor G didn't tell me about anyone, and I doubt he would have known."

"Wait Heero's right!" Quatre added, "I remember Instructor H talking to Doctor J about some girl a while before we were sent to earth." Duo stared at the blonde a moment as if trying to absorb what he was saying.

"So wait a minute your both trying to say that she's one of us." Duo propped his hand under his chin in thought. "So that ratty mobile suit she attacked you with is a.."

"A gundam? I'm not too sure but it might be."

"I can understand that." Wufei looked at Duo as his friend thought it all through "But it would have been unwise to place a woman in a battle, let alone a war."

"Well they were concerned about her, from what I can remember." It wasn't much he remebreed but from the look on Instructor H's face told him he was concered deeply about something.

"Quatre? Where was she? Did they say?" Duo asked.

"Well I'm not to sure but I though she was already on Earth before us." He looked toward Duo, "Why? What are you thinking?"

"Well first just hear me out and tell me if this makes any sense to you guys." Duo took in a deep breath as if gathering his thoughts. _'Let me be wrong.'_

"If she was on Earth there was a chance she could have been dead before we had arrived. But now there's this girl who's basically hunting me down, and she's as good at it as Heero." Heero gave his friend a death glare "Well it's true!" Duo sighed, "Anyways, She flies what looks like a gundam, and has skill. So she must have started out on Earth right? We would have known if there was a mobile suit shipped here, so it must have come from here. In which case then she must be the pilot they were talking about."

"Heero! He's right!" Quatre realised. "What better way to make a dent in OZ's defences than from within, it makes perfect sense."

"Why thanks Quatre!" Duo puffed his chest out; obviously proud of himself.

"Alright I'll give you that Maxwell, but who trained her?"

Wufei was right who trained her? "What about Howard?"

Duo, Quatre and Wufei stared at Heero. "He was originally one of the scientists. He knows as much as the others did!"

"Yeah but I've worked there and I didn't notice a thing. I would have known by now."

"What if she was traded between the other five when we were training."

"I guess! But then she would have already been trained well enough to keep OZ from coming down our throughts." Duo looked at Heero a moment. "Well, did you ever notice anything odd?"

"Hmm…" Heero lapsed into thought but never answered.

"Uh okay I guess not." Duo yawned and stretched, "Well, maybe we should try to finish this tomorrow."

"Yeah I'm tired myself." Quatre added, "we should meet at my place tomorrow night and try to figure this out. The faster the better!" Wufei and Heero both nodded.

"I have to go and get a uniform and find Une to get the reports and my assignment." Heero sighed.

"So now you're sighing up?" Duo sounded surprised. "Aww, well I have to go to a few places before I get home anyways. It's my turn to cook and Hilde wanted me to get some stuff at Howard's ship yard, I'll ask him about the girl."

"Good idea." Quatre stood up and stretched him arms. "I have a meeting to prepare for tonight. I guess I'll see you guys at my place around eight O'clock. How's that?"

"Sounds good to me." Duo stood up "I'll tell Hilde not to cook for me, she'll understand." Stretching Duo started to walk out of the cafeteria.

"Duo! Are you going to tell her about the threat?" Quatre asked, already knowing the answer.

"Nah! I don't think that would be a good idea! Just remember Quatre to leave me enough food when I get there! Well see ya!"

"Does he ever think about anything else?" Wufei asked looking dumbfounded.

"Well most of the time, only if there's nothing that needs his immediate attention." Quatre laughed. "Well I'll see you guys tomorrow!"

"See you Quatre." Heero said, "Wufei can you do me a favour?"

"Sure Yuy what is it?"

"Tomorrow I want you and Trowa to watch Duo's back…I'm not even sure if I should let him go alone tonight but I don't think he would have taken the help."

"I'll check in on him late tonight. He'll be fine, as much as I hate to admit it. He's a lot stronger than we give him credit."

"I know that's actually what bothers me a bit." Wufei stood up as Heero finished his scentance.

"I might as well get some rest before I check in on him tonight then."

"Hmm…be careful, she might be expecting you too."

"I'll be glad to have the challenge, goodnight Yuy."

"You too." Heero murmured deep in thought as Wufei left. _'Looks like I'll have a long night myself.'_

_TBC..._

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_A/N: hmm I wonder what Quatre is talking about when he says Duo is acting strange. Well read more and you'll find out._

_Please review. Please I'd love to know your thaughts as you read this._


	8. Duo's thaughts

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own gundam wing._

_Thank you all for reading. I'm really surprised at how well this story is going, it's had over 364 hits so far and that's great!_

_Please those reading this story, please review, I really enjoy the comments and a lot of the input._

_**LadyMeko:** Thanks yep something is going to happen really soon, but not in this one yet the next chapter will be the most eventfull, and after that the action will begin to build. i actually can't wait to write the missing chapters and I'm getting very close to them._

_**Note: As you read this it may seem that your reading the same information as you did in chapter 2 this is mostly just to reacp and also do add a bit of Duo's perspectives on that day. Well please enjoy!**_

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**Chapter 6: Duo's Thoughts.**

_Outside the Perventer's Headquaters_

The sky was darkening quickly, as the temperature began to drop. Duo looked up and admired the patchy sky. He loved it when he could see both the stars and the clouds, they seemed to remind him that life isn't always spectacular or as perfect as the stars look from space. Walking slowly he contemplated what he heard Heero say earlier.

How could OZ be after him? He had basically settled down and was planning on staying that way. Although he did have to admit he wanted to fight the girl. It would have been a welcomed feeling. He stopped walking and imagined how he would manage to defeat her. _'Haaa I probably wouldn't have had a chance.'_ He sighed and turned the corner he hadn't even noticed he reached. Although he was one of the five gundam pilots it had been over three years since any of them had seen any form of battle.

The wars were over three years ago. He was 19 now and really just wanted to act like a normal guy his age. Unfortunately he wasn't normal or average. The other pilots always felt he would be the first to adjust and to fit in. Sadly they were too busy to even notice him pulling away from the people around him. Fitting in is not a very easy thing for him. Sure everyone seemed to like him but lately he just hasn't been in the mood to be surrounded by friendly people.

Noticing the chill of the air was starting to bother him, he pulled his coat tighter around him. _'Good thing the Perventers give their people good clothing, if it wasn't for this liner I would have frozen two weeks ago.'_ That was probably the worst day he'd ever had, and he knew before hand that it wasn't going to go well. He remembered waking up and thinking Heero was going to get them killed on their mission (if it could have been called that).

Heero tried to get them in closer to the hanger they were supposed to look at; but OZ had gotten in the way. _'I thought they were gone for once, but no they just can't give up. At least they're a familiar enemy, but still it was a shock to the both of us.'_

Heero had tried to keep out of sight but they really needed to get inside to survey what was really going on. Unfortunately once they had entered a piece of the ceiling came down right next to them. _'We both froze, heck I think this time Heero was actually scared. But we were overconfident and they saw us.'_

After they had managed to get a foothold, things went down hill. They had somehow gotten out of the hanger before it had completely collapsed and ran down an alleyway with a shower of bullets following on their heels. _'I have to admit they weren't as bad as they were during the wars, these guys were a challenge and a pain in the ass.'_

Once they had turned the corner they had reached a dead end. Both looked around frantically but decided there was only one thing left to do. Make a stand, but where? Heero pointed to the metal dumpster they were next to.Unfortunately Heero had also been shot in the arm at that very moment.So they quicklylunged behind it as bullets flew past their ears.

"Man they were good shots." Duo mumbled. Heero kept them busy by shooting back while Duo got stuck bandaging up his friend's right arm. Then something odd happened. Heero distinctly heard four gunshots and watched as they hit each of their targets between the eyes. _'He was so worried he asked me if maybe Trowa or Wufei were out here as well, but I knew they weren't._'

The alleyway was shrouded with silence as the gunfire and shouting ended. Heero counted the bodies silently to himself. _' There were five,which i had killed, but there were three more i just can't figure out from where or how they got hit.'_Luckily the third of the mysterious kills, according to Heero, had a clue. Embedded deep into his chest was a long knife.

Duo shuddered just remembering that knife. It was almost as long as his forearm, but it was extremely light. Duo remembered holding and dropping it thinking it would be heavier than it really was. Now that very knife was the only clue to who owned it, and how they managed to throw it. Unfortunately it didn't have any information on it. The fingerprints didn't match to anyone on their databases and it was long enoughto slice with, except that wasn't how it as used. So naturally they had decided it was thrown and with a lot of force, so a man had to have thrown it, a very big man.

Duo sighed and pushed all thoughts of that day to the back of his mind. He'll have to figure that out later, first he had to get to the market to get the ingredients so he could cook dinner. Just thinking of making food lightened his mood.

* * *

_NearAMarket_

After buying all his ingredients he grabbed a bus to the ship docks. He owed Howard a visit, and maybe he can manage to get the middle aged man to tell him somethingabout the girl. Butbefore he could think of a way to approach Howard with the questions he noticed someone out of the corner of his eye.

"Damn! Why of all places is he here." He muttered trying to move in a way that the blonde in the back of the bus couldn't see him. But before he could move to sit, he was noticed.

"Duo? What are you doing here? Don't you live in the other direction?" Duo winced at the question.

"Huh?" He spun around "Heh, I owe Howard a visit." He rubbed the back of his head as he laughed nervously. He might as well tell the truth. "What are you doing here Jock? Don't you have a place?" Jock looked down sadly.

"No, not exactly. I just stay where I work I guess." He laughed. Duo didn't like him at all; he was trying to deceive him again. "Looks like we'll be getting off at the same stop then." Duo frowned, sensing it Jock looked out the window.

Both stood silently looking in the opposite direction and waited for the bus to stop. Luckily it wasn't too long _'Yes now I can get away from him. The sooner the better.' _

Practically leaping off the bus Duo made sure to walk as far away from theother manas he possibly could. He was relived to see him head straight for the barracks, where the mechanics stayed when they weren't at sea or were too busy to go home.

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_Howard's Shipyard_

Duo wandered around fora while, tryign to come up with where Howard would be at that time. Nothing really came to mind so he wandered more until he heard something fmailiar.

"Duo!" A hearty voice called.

Instinctively Duo froze and looked around but found no one. _'Okay I heard him but where is he?'_ Duo then looked to the boat a few feet from where he stood, and noticed a tall red haired man waving at him. Duo waved back and waited for him to reach him.

A few moments later the taller man made his way to Duo. "Phew that's a long walk they really shouldn't have made the damn dock so long!" Duo smiled at his joke.

"Ben, I thought you would be inside with your wife?"

"Heh, yeah know I did too, but she decided to kick me out." He answered as he rubbed the back of his head.

"What did you do?" Duo laughed.

"I looked at her funny." Ben sighed, "She's really stressed out right now."

"What happened?" Duo asked concerned.

"Oh nothing major, just that I've been teaching our son a few things she feels aren't appropriate, and Ray wasn't much help either." Duo looked more closely at Ben.

"Who's Ray? I've never met him." Ben made a face and laughed.

"Do you want to met he..erm him? 'He's' coming here in a month or so if things are running smoothly." Duo was sure there was more to this Ray guy from the way Ben just answered. So letting curiosity get the best of him Duo nodded.

"Why not, I was planning on coming in that day to see what's going on. Oh yeah do you know if I could talk to Howard?"

"No problem. He's probably in the hanger right now! Come on it's this way." Ben ran waving in the direction to an old hanger.

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Once Duo reached the hanger he stopped a moment and looked up at it. He remembered this hanger the most, since this was where he had kept Deathscythe during the war. Just looking at it from where he stood braught back so many memories, somes he was more fond of than others.Sighing heavily he decided not to linger and pushed his way through the door, only to nearly walk into Ben. 

Ben took one look and slumped his shoulders. "Oh man I forgot you were carrying all that, I should have helped. It must have been a pain walking here with your groceries!"

Duo shook his head as he smirked. Ben was always one to get over excited, even more so than Duo himself. "No it's okay, it was nothing, I don't mind lugging it around with me. Besides I get lots of time to figure out what I'm going to make, I still don't know." Ben looked at him for a moment.

"How about stew you've got enough in there to make it for a week or so with the way you eat."

"Hey what's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing!" Ben waved his hands out. "Sheesh ever since the wars ended you've been really jumpy, are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah" sighed Duo. "I just… need to get a life like everyone else my age."

"Why?" Ben smiled. "If you had such a bor…I mean normal life you wouldn't know anyone here. You wouldn't have a job as secure as you do now. You'd be bored." Ben crossed his arms and sighed, "I don't think you could have a normal life even if you tried. Duo you need to look at it from another angle. If you had such a normal life, you would be like everyone else. If life was normal and the wars were still going and you grew up normal, do you really think you'd be alive today?" Duo looked down and sighed.

"Hmmm… Lets go find Howard. I bet he'll make you feel better." Ben looked up at the ceiling for a moment before walking down the hallway sighing. Duo seemed really down but he couldn't even get him to smile, at least not like he used to.

* * *

Both young men walked down the corridor to the window that hung over the inner part of the hanger. 

"Man this place has changed!" Duo was surprised. It looked so neglected from the outside but from the looks of it Howard had been doing a few renovations on the inside.

"Yeah it's an improvement that's for sure, but right now I'm more concerned about the machinery." Ben placed his hands in his pockets and nodded towards the door to the left. "Well let's get down there! I bet Howard will be glad to see you."

"Hmm… yeah." Duo sighed as he placed his groceries on the counter. Ben wasn't so sure if Duo was really okay. He seemed so far away, deep in thaught or something.

Both walked down the stairs, Duo looking the building from top to bottom and Ben with a wide grin on his face. "This should get him to at least come here a few more times before he gets bored with it."

"What was that?"

"Huh? Oh nothing just thinking out loud." Ben smiled.

"This is amazing. Half of the walls were completely replaced!"

"Glad you like it! It's thanks to Ray that we've managed all this." Duo looked at Ben with total astonishment.

"How can one person come up with enough money for this?" Ben looked at Duo with a sad look.

"It's better I not tell you." Ben sighed. Tellign Duo the truth would be a very big mistake for both Ray and Howard.

Duo was now really confused. _'What does this mean, what could this guy have done that's so bad?'_

Standing beside a consol was a man in his early forties looking down at a screen. He wore a tacky Hawaiian shirt that just didn't fit with the surroundings. Smiling Howard turned from the consol and looked at Ben. "So you found him?"

Ben smiled and pointed a few feet behind him where Duo stood looking up at the new Taurus.

"Like what you see?" Howard smiled.

"Wow that's amazing! How long did this take you? I left only five or six hours after you got the papers." Duo looked at Howard. "I thought you were running out of money?"

"I was!" Howard answered smiling, "but I had some help from a close friend."

Ben smiled and bent down to Duo's level "Ray" he whispered.

Duo looked more confused than earlier, "Ahh! I don't get it!" He waved his hands around. "It..it makes no sense, who is this Ray guy." Howard raised his eyebrows and looked at Ben. Now Duo knew there was something really going on.

"Is anyone going to tell me what's going on here or what?" Duo looked annoyed and sent Ben his best death glare.

"Hey man I didn't do anything, you'll just have to have some patience." Duo's glare faltered.

"So Duo, you want to tell me what's going on now or are you just going to shoot death glares at Ben?" Howard said trying to lighten Duo's mood.

"Eh? Uh sure and I have a few things I wanted to ask you too!"

"Good well let's go to the office, and you can tell me all about it."

TBC...

* * *

_A/N:_ _Wow Ben is a ball of energy. He's a pretty great guy, you'll have to wait though to see more side to his personality._

_Poor Duo he seems down in the dumps doesn't he?_

_Please review._


	9. Something Goes Wrong

**Disclaimer:**_ I really wish I could own it but sadly I don't_

_**Warnings: There is some laguage and violence in this chapter so read at your own disgression.**_

_**Lady Meko**: Yeah he was but here's one of the more action packed chapter, the one you've been waiting for._

_Note: Past this point the story will be different than that of the Return of Zero sotry i had writen earlier._

_And don't forget to review. This story has a total of 422 views. Yay!_

* * *

**Chapter 7: Something Goes Wrong**

_Duo's Apartment_

Talking to Howard had never left Duo feeling so lost before! Howard had no idea what he was getting at when he mentioned what Heero had said about his attacker being a girl, and one that had a really good understanding of machinery. To Duo the only job someone with that knowledge could get was one through the Sweepers. But Howard had said he knew no such girl, and Duo had to admit the ones that do hang around there weren't so much interested in learning how to fix machines than spending the night with the guys there.

Looking down,his watch now said it was 5:30. Sighing he slumped his shoulders and started walking towards his apartment. Duo had never felt this tired before, not even during the wars. _'For some strange reason I can't sleep or think clearly, something must be wrong, I've never been out of this much energy.'_ He was right even Hilde had started to ask him on a daily basis if he really was feeling well. Sighing once more he lifted his bag of groceries up higher on his arms and turned down the street that lead to home.

Finally reaching the apartment complex Duo squeezed his way into the door and walked up the stares with a tired limp. _'Maybe I should get checked out by a doctor, since when should a bunch of stares be so had to climb at my age'_ Luckily his apartment wasn't to high up and in no time at all he had reached his door.

Fumbling around in his pockets he realized he had forgotten his keys at work. "Damn it, not now! Great! Now I need to go back there and get them…. Heero would have a field day with this…" He muttered as he dug around more in his pockets, totally oblivious to the door opening and Hilde watching him with total amusement.

"I'm sure he'd only look at you like he always does and tell you it's not like you to forget." Duo looked up in surprise.

"How long were you there?"

Hilde smiled."Long enough to be worried about your sanity."

Duo frowned and crossed his arms in mock pout."Humph that's no fair I'm perfectly sane!" Duo answered now pointing his nose in the air and causing Hilde to giggle.

"I'm sure a shrink would believe you!" she smiled sarcastically.

"Just you wait I'll be more sane than...Quatre one day." He retorted as Hilde let him in.

Lifting the groceries to the counter Duo noticed a time and place marked down on the calendar.

"Why Hilde you found me a date? You know I'm already taken." He called out jokingly.

"Ha ha very funny, it's for me!"

Duo looked around the corner at his roommate and made a face. "Who would want a witch like you?" He teased.

Picking up a pillow from the couch Hilde threw it at him, only to watch Duo catch it in mid air and stick his tongue out at her. "I'm only a witch when you don't clean up!" Duo looked at her and sighed.

"Yeah yeah we both know I'm not that messy, compared to most people, I'm a saint when it comes to my messes." Hilde laughed and muttered something under her breath, which Duo decided to ignore.

"So what do you think we should eat?" He asked as he dug through the cupboards, he was yet to fill as if looking for the answers there.

"I don't know what do you think? I'm really impartial, your cooking is better than mine any day." She turned and looked at Duo and watched him as he tapped the counter deep in thought. _'Well he must be feeling better, he can't stop moving one way or another.'_

"Well, Ben said I should make my stew, what do you think?" Duo asked grabbing things out of the bag and placing them in their respective places.

"Why not! I like that, and it's probably the best meal you make!"

"So true!" Hilde rolled her eyes; she had obviously stroked his ego a bit.

After a while of cutting vegetables and other ingredients Duo looked back up at the calendar. "So who is this guy? Is he nice?"

"Yeah I think so, I just met him but he comes across as a little jumpy." Duo looked around the corner and watched her.

"It's that bad huh?" He smiled.

"What do you mean?" She asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Oh, it's just that when you talk about this guy you get this funny look and then you blush."

"Gee, at least I don't drool."

"I bet you do, you just don't do it around me." He answered back placing a hand exaggeratedly on his chest. "Are you sure he's straight, maybe he didn't want his lover to see him with a pretty girl…. not that your that pretty!"

"DUO!" Hilde yelled getting upset.

"Hey I was joking!You're pretty…I'm sorry!" But it was too late Hilde had walked around the corner. "Sheesh it's not like I meant it." He muttered.

Half an hour later Duo had finished cooking, but Hilde was nowhere to be seen. "Great where is that girl. I say one thing to her that she gets offended and she disappears from the apartment."

"HILDE" Duo called as he walked down the hallway and stopped at her room.

He stood there for a moment trying to fight the urge to just fling the door open and scream 'boo'. Smiling at the thought though he quickly dismissed it, he was in enough trouble as it was. Opening the door slowly he peeked in and saw her sitting on her bed with a book. Sighing he pushed the door and walked up to her. "Is it that good a book that you can't hear me?" He asked as he bent down towards her. "Hey are you still mad at me?" He asked softly.

Hilde looked up from her book and smiled. "No I can't stay mad at you for very long. I'm sorry I got mad at you I know you were poking fun." She smiled and put her book down. "I guess I'm just a little worried about you right now."

"What for? I'm fine!" Duo looked at her more closely. _'What's she trying to get at? I'm fine.'_

"You just seem so lonely, and lost." Hilde was looking down at her feet and Duo could sense she was about to get all mushy on him. Hilde looked up and smiled weakly.

"Why don't we talk about this in the morning, let's just enjoy dinner. I don't want it to get in the way." Duo said trying to push the matter aside.

* * *

Both Hilde and Duo ate their dinner in silence and neither tried to start a conversation. Hilde sighed and picked around at what was left of her stew. _'Duo has been acting really strange these past few months. He isn't even talking during dinner and it's usually his favourite time to talk.' _

Looking up Hilde took a closer look at her roommate. He seemed so lost, and sad. Duo's eyes were focusing on this one piece of carrot, which caught Hide's attention; he had barely eaten a thing. _'Okay this is getting to weird! This is the guy who had to eat at least three or four bowls of stew before he even thought of quitting. Now all he does is watch it get cold. I need to get him to see a doctor. I don't care how many times he says he doesn't want to go there, I'll just have to force him!'_

"Uh…Oh yeah Ali called this afternoon." Hilde said reluctantly trying to spark up some conversation.

"Really, what's up with her?"_ 'Okay he sure didn't seem very interested.'_ Hilde thaught.

"Duo, she's your girlfriend and she's worried about you. You haven't called her in four days!" Duo's head slumped towards his bowl.

"Damn! Well I hope she's not mad at me." He stated indifferently. _'Okay I forgot, I'll make sure not to do that again. '_He thaught to himslef as he pushed the same carrot around the bowl.

"She wants to know if you could go with her out to dinner on Friday." Hilde watched him even closer and was surprised to see so little emotion. "Duo? Are you listening?"

"Huh…. oh sorry lost in thought there." He smiled lifting his fork for what must have been the fourth time in an hour and placing it down before putting it in his mouth.

"Duo you can't eat without actually putting the food in your mouth! Really what is wrong with you?" Duo looked at her with a steady stare.

"I told you I'm fine, I'm just not so hungry. I have no clue what's worrying you like this." Hilde leaned forward and placed her hand on his forehead. "Hey what's that for? I'm not sick!"

"Could have fooled me, you're warm, almost feverish, don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about Duo Maxwell! You know perfectly well there's something wrong with you. You just don't want to admit it!" Duo looked at her with a fixed stare. "I hope that's not how you stared down that poor innocent carrot!" Hilde tried to say while keeping a straight face.

"Huh?"

"It was a joke!" Hilde laughed as Duo smiled and finally ate the carrot.

"Happy, I put it out of its misery it won't have to see my face again!"

"Yeah your ugly face."

Duo looked confused for a moment."Now Hilde I don't think you have that right, remember it's you who has the ugly face." Both burst out laughing.

"Okay I give! How about I do the dishes and you finish what you have."

Duo looked up at Hilde as she stood up."Sure I guess I can do that."

* * *

Once Hilde had finished the dishes Duo had finally eaten the rest of his meal and wondered over to the television to see what was on the news. So far they were just talking about the resource issues that the Vice Foreign Minister was having the latest meetings over. Still changing channels something caught his eye; it was a bulletin. 

"ON TUESDAY THE 16TH A MENTAL PATIEN HAS ESCAPED FROM THE LOCAL MENTAL HOSPITAL AND IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS, IF ANYONE SEES ANYBODY WHO FITS THIS DESCRIPTON PLEASE LOCK YUR DOORS AND WINDOWS AND CALL THE POLICE. THE PATIENT IS UNSTABLE AND CAN ATTACK WITHOUT WARNING. ANY INFORMATION REGARDING HER WHEREABOUTS WILL BE GREATLY REWARDED AND WILL AID IN KEEPING OTHERS SAFE FROM HER."

"Hey Hilde did you hear that?" Duo asked as he turned around.

Hilde just stood there staring at the picture of a nineteen-year-old girl with white hair. Hilde's face was white and she looked really worried. "Hey Hilde something wrong?"

"Huh? N..no I..I'm okay just thinking." she sighed. '_Okay that's weird I could have sworn I saw her at the mall today when I was having coffee with my date…he knew her too.'_

"Humph." Duo snorted as he slouched in the chair. "I don't believe them, they did the same thing for us. The girl could be perfectly sane! They just want to keep it under wraps. Besides if she was so dangerous the Perventers would know, and ironically we don't! Man she looks pretty smart too. i really doubt she's got some metal problem."

"Then what? It's a hoax?"

"Nope they're trying to capture her, and I bet it's OZ too!" Duo waved his hand and placed it down as he flipped through even more channels. "Ever since they were nearly wiped out they've been trying to keep things behind closed doors so we don't find out what's going on. The whole point is to do everything in a way that the Perventers can't touch them. I bet Heero already knows about it!"

"I wouldn't put it past him!"

"Hmm…"

* * *

Two more hours passed Hilde had gone to bed half an hour ago and Duo was left alone to watch TV. But to his disgust like every other night there was really nothing on, so he spent most of his time just thinking about the meeting at Quatre's place the next day. 

_'By then Heero should have some more information for us to work with. Maybe just maybe he'll have a description of who we're after!'_ Yawning heavily he stretched his arms and stood up. "Well I guess it's about time I get some sleep. It's 10'o clock, hmm.. that's early for me…aw well more sleep for me then!"

But once in bed he couldn't sleep; something was seriously bothering him, but he couldn't put his finger on it! For weeks now Duo has had trouble sleeping not only is he plagued every night with his usual nightmares but they've gotten worse and on top of that he can't help but feel a little depressed. _'I can't even have feelings for my girlfriend, I barely eat, and when I do it's not the normal amount, and I have troubles sleeping. Maybe Quatre will has some sleeping pills I can get off him, I want to avoid the doctor as much as I can and with the conferances he attends I bet he does have some!'_ Slowly Duo had felt himself begin to dose to sleep, which was fine except for the nightmares.

* * *

Slipping into the kitchen window Ray managed to keep it quite, despite the dishes neatly piled by the sink. _'Why put all the dishes here and not away? I'll never understand people!' _It was eaither glass or porcelan she hated most, both blroke easiy and both couldn't hold her waight if she fell on them. 

Ray stood up and slowly turned around in full circle to get her bearings. _'This is the kitchen, that's the living room. So if I go down the hall and just before the back door it should lead me to my target!'_ So quietly Ray stepped out of the kitchen taking in as much information as she could. It was easy for her to do so since her vision was better than average.

_'So far this is too easy I really can't believe it's this easy. There's nothing here that tells me I'm even in the right place!'_ Looking around in the living room Ray noticed a laptop and moved toward it.

_'Well it's definitely from the Perventers so I must be in the right place; he's the only Perventer in this building! Seriously they should put everyone together, that way it would be harder for me to pin point where he is!'_ Flipping open the laptop Ray realized there was some information Duo had collected that she didn't have. _'Why not I'll take the info and leave a virus, just in case I don't make it!'_

Slipping a disk into the disk drive Ray started to download the information. _'I'm surprised he never read this! There is a lot on me! Well I can't let him get that!'_ Once the information was downloaded she erased the data and put in yet another disk, this time she was downloading something into his computer. _'This ought to keep them all busy, I bet he'll even take it to Heero right away, that would make for a good laugh! Too bad he might not make it!'_ Closing the laptop Ray made her way toward the room where Duo was sleeping.

Opening the door quietly she looked in. _'This is way to easy he's laying there out in the open. If I had my gun on me I would have been done by now.'_ She didn't though, it had gone missing, and she knew just who took it and he was going to pay for it in the morning.

Stepping in as quietly as she could Ray managed to get the side closest the window, in case she needed a quick get away. Watching carefully not to step on anything Ray took a closer look at the young man she was about to assassinate. _'The serum has already taken effect! Great just great I have to do this quickly, he only has one more exposure before it takes over.'_ Moving her hand slowly to the blade she was planning to use she slipped it out of it's holder. Taking a close look at the blade Ray took a last glance at Duo. _'It's really too bad. He looks somewhat peaceful, but I can't let him live not like this, I can't afford the problems he'd cause me.'_

Ray braced her feet in case he woke up, and plunged her hand down in one swift movement.

* * *

Duo was dismayed as he lay there with his eyes closed; he really wasn't going to get any sleep. Sighing he rolled onto his other side only to feel a sharp pain lancealong the back of his shoulder. With his quick reflexes; still left over from the war, he managed to grab the knife he kept under his pillow and swung out at his attacker. 

The girl backed up with quick reflexes but wasn't expecting his reaction and took the brunt of his swing in her arm; causing a deep gash to open. Duo watched as the girl took in just what had happened and to his surprise it didn't take too long for her to retaliate. She quickly lunged straight at him and took a swing of her own only to have him duck under, but she was expecting it and kneed him directly in the face, sending him into the wall.

Dou's head was aching so much he had troubles seeing what she was about to do next. "What do you want?" He asked hoping to coax her to talk but all he got was a foot in his face as an answer.

Coughing up blood Duo looked up at his attacker defiantly. "Hey look what ever it is I'm sorry, but I really didn't do anything." He tried again as he stood up using the door for support. But still no answer. Clutching his own blade even tighter Duo planned his retaliation.

He knew he had two choices; hurt her badly and run or to kill her. So far the last one was the only one he could manage in a corner. It was the last thing he wanted to do but maybe he can tire her out enough, only if he could get out away from the corner she had him in.

The girl took another swing with her knife and missed as Duo ducked. He managed to swing her feet out from under her and got to the other side of the room. _'Damn she's fast, I need to get a good look at her so I can figure out what to do.'_ But even then the girl managed to get up within seconds. _'Shit! She's really fast, I have no chance like this I need to injure her enough to slow her down.'_

He knew two things about her so far, the cut on her arm made no difference and she had reflexes as fast as his own. Watching her as she came towards him, Dou decided now was as good a time as any to attack, but first he needed her to make another swing.

Doing exactly as he had planned the girl took yet another swing, aiming for his throat. Duo ducked to the side, caught her arm and pulled her toward him, finishing with a hard blow of his elbow at her nose. Duo watched as the attacker backed up, but still she did not show any sign of pain _'Okay... that didn't really work out she's as stubborn as Heero.'_ Duo waited again but remembered a day he had training with Heero.

_'Okay I get it maybe I'm doing this all wrong. All I need to do is mirror her moves, she should get confused and then I'll…'_ But before he could finish that thought the girl lashed out again but this time the pain quickly followed a deafening ' CRACK'. Duo hit the floor as pain lanced through his left leg. "Hey I kinda needed that leg to defend myself! How about letting me at least keep the other okay!" He retorted as he winced in pain, "Why won't you say anything! Damn it, SAY SOMETHING!' He yelled as he managed to stand up with help of a nearby chair. "You can't just attack a guy without telling him why!"

Amazingly the girl stopped and looked at him from the shadows. All he needed was a light. Looking around him he noticed the lamp, luckily it only had a switch to turn it on. Quickly grabbing the lamp Duo flicked the light on and blinded his attacker. Although he had thought he had won there the girl made one last attempt but Duo was expecting it and lunged forward swinging his knife and catching the girl.

* * *

Fumbling around in the dark Duo managed to limp heavily toward the light by his door only to have the door fling itself wildly into his face. 

"Ahhhhh! Damn it" He cursed as Hilde's head poked through

"Duo! Are you okay? I heard a lot of noise coming from here," She asked as she looked down at Duo as he rubbed his nose and was clutching his leg with his free hand. "What happened? You're covered in blood. Duo stood up and without a word flicked on the light only to stare in shock himself.

No wonder he was covered in blood he had done more damage to the girl than he had originally thought.

"Oh my god! What…Did she…" Hilde asked completely astonished by what she was seeing.

Duolimped heavilyover to the figure laying on the floor in a heap. Slowly he grabbed her shoulder and turned her over gently. "Yeah she got in some how." But Hilde had no reply, so Duo turned around and stared at her pale face. "Are you okay?"

"Duo we need to get you to the hospital, you're loosing a lot of blood."

"Huh? What? She really didn't hurt me that bad!"

"Uh! Yes she did, you have a huge cut almost all the way down your back" Duo looked at her again.

"Oh I forgot all about that. First I want to take a good look at her." But as he finished turning her over he realised why it had all ended so fast. As he had blinded the girl the light also blinded him, and the final blow he had made was straight to her neck. "What the..!" Duo quickly felt for a pulse and was surprised to still feel one. "Hilde get me a few towels and some water. I think she's the one that needs to get to the hospital first."

Hilde stared at him wide eyed and nodded slowly before she left the room. Dou smiled and knew she'd do as he told her.

Taking a closer look Duo noticed the gash he had initially made, was still bleeding furiously. "How much blood do you have? Man you should be nearly out of it by now!" The gril had lost soo muchblood that her brown hair was stained with it.Again he looked around the room and found the blade a few feet away and stared at it for a few moments.

"Hmm.. Well I'll be, it's the same as the knife we had found a few weeks ago. Sowas ityou? I really doubt it though, you're too small the throw it." He said as he looked down at her face and moved some of the long hair out of the way. "It's a shame really that I had to hurt you like that."

* * *

A few minutes later Hilde came in and was followed by Wufei. "I found him at the door, I guess I didn't hear him knock." 

Wufei stopped at the doorway and stared at the sight before him. "What happened?"

"What's it look like, she attacked me!" Duo answered as he placed the towel tightly around her neck and tore the other in half soaking it in water and placing it around her injured arm. "She almost got me too, if it wasn't for that lamp!" He finished as he did the same for her neck.

"Maxwell you need to go to the hospital"

"Yeah I know, but first she's my priority, I want her to live; so I can find out why she was after me. Wufei do you mind driving us there?"

"Duo you do know they'll make you stay there a few days?" Hilde added as she put her hands to her hips expecting him to fight back.

"Yeah I know they're going to, at least then I'll be there when she wakes up!"

"She's Dead Maxwell its over!" Duo winced. He had just arrived and he was already throwing around assumptions he had no right to make.

"NO SHE"S NOT!" Duo was getting mad none of them understood. "She's still alive, her pulse is strong!" Duo watched as both of his friends stared at him with disbelief. "Okay then come and check for yourselves!" But both just stood there in bewilderment.

TBC...

* * *

_A/N: hmmm. interesting...more to come!_

_please review_


	10. Hospital Visit

_Disclaimer: I don't think I really need to say this again but...I don't own Gundam Wing._

_Wow over 500 views on this story. I'm glad to see people are reading this story i hope you all are enjoying it!_

_Lady Meko: Thanks for the review. Well I hope your pondering goes well. I'm glad to hear that this story is actually making people think. Enjoy the next chapter._

**Chapter 8:Questions**

_Perventer Hospital_

Hilde had been waiting for over three hours since they had taken the girl and Duo to the hospital. She could still feel the sweat forming on her forehead as she waited to hear news from the doctor on her friend's condition.

Last night she had thought originally Duo was having one of his nightmares. She remembered how on occasion she would find him wandering around, sleep walking in his room. Each time she had to wake him up and reassure him the wars were over and he wouldn't have to fight anymore. But since this attack she distinctly recalled him mumbling something to her while he cried. She'll have to ask Heero later.

* * *

Quatre had come as soon as he could, after Hilde had called him; since Wufei had to leave for a late shift.

_'Heero was right Duo's in more danger than we thought, I hope he's okay!'_ Sighing heavily Quatre walked over to a shocked Hilde and sat next to her allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder.

"It's okay he only broke his leg, they'll have him fixed up. He'll be more awake than the rest of us when we see him, you'll see." Hilde sniffled in response.

It was no wonder she didn't believe a word he had just said. As soon as they had reached the hospital and gave the girl to the doctors, Duo had collapsed instantly.

"I don't know Quatre, he's been acting really strange these past few weeks," Hilde sniffled.

Quatre looked up and watched the wall a moment. She was right Duo was getting more and more anxious over the past weeks. Sometimes he was almost too alert and on several occasions it had been very strange to watch his friend fidget more than he usually did. "Don't worry if there's something wrong they'll find it."

"I'm not so sure." Hilde Sighed and looked up,"Quatre, he hid it from me for over two months. The only way I noticed was when he wouldn't eat at dinner, and he loveto eat." Hilde sighed heavily as if she had been holding her breath. "He took an hour and a half to eat last night." Quatre looked at her and moved so he could look her in the eye.

"He ate before he left to go home, but I'm guessing that was what three or four hours right?" Hilde nodded and sniffled again. "Can you tell me anything else he's been doing that's odd?"

Hilde sat up "Why? Do you know what it is?"

Quatre shook his head sadly. He wished he did. "No, but I want to know exactly what he's been up to lately. And it would help you more to get it out in the open."

"Uh… Okay. Like I said when I first noticed, he stopped eating at dinner. Then I heard him screaming in his sleep as if he was being torn apart. Several times he lashed out at me in a rage, that's really not like him," Hilde shuddered remembering the look on his face, especially his eyes. "I've seen him glare people down for next to no reason. Over all he's been acting less and less like himself, and more like Heero." Hilde looked as if she was about to cry.

"Well, we'll have to talk to him about it. I could get the doctors to run a few tests but I doubt they'll find anything. I have a feeling this had something to do with the attack." Quatre answered looking down and feeling at a loss for words. It was all very strange. He knew about the assassin being in the area, but this sounded very different from the one he knew. _'It just wasn't her style to outright attack a target, she was more like Heero. There must have been a reason for this.'_

Hilde nodded and rested her head back down on Quatre's shoulder.

* * *

By the time Heero had arrived Hilde was sound asleep next to Quatre, who was about to do the same. A lot had happened in only a few hours for all of them, it was no surprise that the both of them were this tired. 

"I heard what happened. Any news?" Heero asked sounding a little concerned for his friend.

Yawning Quatre shook his head and placed Hilde on the couch, so he could walk around a bit. "No, I'm a little worried though!" Heero's eyes narrowed. "Hilde said Duo's been acting a bit odd over the past few months."

"I noticed, he looked really tired the last time I saw him. What do you think it is?"

"Not a clue, what ever it is, it happens when we're not around or to busy to notice."

Heero tapped his arm and looked at the ceiling for a moment. "How long has he been with that girlfriend of his?"

"The blonde?" Heero nodded. It was a bit strange for Heero to mention her. "A year I think. I have to admit I really don't like her." To Quatre she seemed to bring out the worst in him. She acted as if she had control over everyone, and after the wars it really wasn't a comforting thought.

"…"

Heero took his coat off, wandered over to Hilde and placed it over her. "Me neither! Did you call her?" He was seriously hoping Quatre didn't.

"No, but I should!" Quatre stated, as he turned to walk to the pay phone; only to have Heero grab his arm firmly.

"Don't! I want to see what she'll do next when she hears this on her own. How's Hilde taking it?"

"Not so well, she's worried and overtired." Quatre looked over to Heero _'What is he thinking?'_

"Can you tell me exactly what she told you about what happened?" If he could just get to the bottom of the attack it would save him more time. And he may be able to save both the girl and Duo.

Quatre nodded in response. "From what I was told he was attacked by a girl. Hilde told me that from what he had said she was acting similar to you. I have no clue what that is supposed to mean though…." Quatre had told Heero as much about the attack as he could, including the injuries.

Heero looked more closely at Quatre and nodded. "Once they got her here and to the emergency room Duo had collapsed. Hilde thinks it's something to do with his behaviour but it could also be from loss of blood."

"I doubt it was though! I've seen him with worse than a broken leg and a gash." Which was true. Heero had saved Duo from the cells he'd been thrown in only to have to face the young man and his injuries. On several occasions Duo would be completely pummelled and should have been unable to walk, but he still managed it.

* * *

After waiting a few more hours Quatre had dosed off. Heero watched them both hoping, like they were that it was just from his wounds. _'I seriously doubt this has anything to do with the cuts she gave him, they may have been severe but not that severe. Duo is as good at holding pain back as any of us. He wouldn't wither like that. It must be that girl he's with. I need to talk to her once this is done.'_

* * *

Time passed still and no word. Hilde had woken up and was about to start crying again, when a doctor in surgical garb came over to tell them the news. 

"Miss Schbeiker?"

"Yes" Hilde croaked trying her best to stay standing.

The doctor smiled and held his hand out "My name is Doctor Michaels, I'm Duo's doctor. It's nice to meet you." Hilde looked more closely at him in disbelief. He was a tall thin young man with brown hair. From what she can tell he reminded her a lot of the guy she was dating. "Duo will be fine. But he's very lucky to have gotten away with what he did. He's resting right now but he gave us quite the scare."

Hilde held her breath. "What do you mean?" Something was off with this guy.

"We had to restrain him while we were treating the injuries on his back." Both Quatre and Heero looked at each other. That was definitely not something Duo would have done. Heero knew full well that Duo would have cooperated.

"Can we see him?" Hilde half sobbed.

"Yes of course; this way, follow me."

Once they had reached the room Duo was in they noticed he was wide-awake. Heero stayed in back and watched as Hilde came in and hugged Duo, nearly to death as Quatre patted him on the shoulder.

"Ack! Hilde let go I can't breath!" Hilde let go and for a moment it looked as if she was about to cry. "Hey Hilde don't get upset I'm right here, see I'm still alive." He said as he winced back the pain in both his back and his leg.

Hilde sighed and asked him what seemed to be four or five times if he was okay, and each time Duo would assure her that he will be fine. Inwardly however, he wasn't feeling well at all.

Once they had finished stitching his back and casting his leg, the pain seemed to disappear for short periods of time. Once his friends had come in the pain had come back and he was actually happy to have it back, he felt more alive with the pain than without it.

'_I need to get this all figured out, first I lose my appetite and then the nightmares and now I don't feel pain as much as I should. I bet that girl knows what's going on…or maybe Heero does.'_ Duo looked back to Hilde, and smiled. She still looked as if she was about to cry at him.

"I'm so glad your okay." Hilde half sobbed.

Duo smiled and then snorted.

"What is it?" Quatre asked concerned.

"I have to stay here for a week and a bit….I hate hospitals!" Duo made a disgusted face, that rivalled any of the looks of disgust he had ever made and crossed his arms to pout.

"It can't be that bad. You get food at your beck and call!" Hilde laughed but Duo made no response and instead continued to pout.

"Duo! Tell me about what happened" Heero wasted no time in getting to the bottom of what happened.

"Uh sure Heero! What do you need to know?" Duo looked worried now.

"Tell me what the girl looked like."

Duo frowned as if deep in thought and then smiled broadly. "Aside from the cuts, gashes and bruises I gave her she looked pretty damn good!"

Everyone in the room groaned except Dr Michaels who laughed. "Looks like he'll be better in no time at all."

* * *

Duo had told Heero all he could about his attacker. Heero though didn't even seem surprised a bit. Actually Duo got the feeling Heero knew who she was and what she was after. But as he tried to coax the information from his stoic friend. He got the distinct feeling Heero wanted him to do this on his own. 

"Common Heero. Tell me why you're not surprised." Duo looked his friend in the eyes trying as best he could to get the information he felt he needed.

"…." Heero turned and left the room.

"Arggghhh I had a feeling you would do this…FINE! Well I'll have to do some digging myself then," He growled it was about time someone told him what was going on.

"Don't worry about it" Quatre smiled. "Once you can move around I'm sure we can go see how she's doing." Duo looked over to Quatre with concern stricken across his face. He had nearly forgotten about her.

"How is she? Where is she?" He asked facing Dr. Michaels.

"Don't worry about her, she'll be fine. She's in roomeight, but please I have to be there if you want to see her."

That last comment made no sense to Duo at all. Why would the doctor have to be there? _'Okay that made no sense. She can't be awake, so why does he have to be there? Whatever I'll go there whether he likes it or not. I need to see just how much damage I had done to her.'_ Duo yawned and groaned. Just yawning was taking its toll on his tired body.

"I think he's had enough for a bit, lets let him rest." Michaels said, as he ushered both of Duo's friends out the door and shut it quietly behind him. "Duo's injuries aren't bad but he's mentally fatigued. He needs as much rest as he can get right now."

Hilde nodded but Quatre just stared at the doctor. "You know something don't you?"

* * *

In the hallway, Dr Michaels looked at them both and smiled. "Come with me. There's something you need to see." 

Michaels lead them down a few doors over to a room numbered eight. Hilde froze and looked at the doctor. "Why are we going here? Isn't this the room where the…"

"Yes it is, but I think you need to see this before he does." Dr Michaels opened the door as softly as he could.

Stepping in Hilde now saw the damage Duo had done to the girl. Her body was pretty much bruised blue from head to toe. She now saw that the girl had perfectly white hair, something she had never seen before. As she looked more closely she could see that the doctors had cut it, and it now lay matted on her head and shoved up so the bandage covered the wound on the side of her head.

The whole sight was one to stop anyone in their steps and yet she was still alive. Her arms were both bandaged: one from the injury Duo had given her, and the other just above theelbow. Although Hilde tried to remember if Duo had done something there, she didn't remember seeing anything wrong with her other arm at the time.

The bandage around her neck told Hilde that the girl was probably going to live. They had managed to cover it but with every breath the bloodstain would grow slowly on the bandages. But the worst was her breathing, and her overall condition. Every breath was assisted by the machine next to her, causing a sickening squeak with each intake of breath. Her form was slender but almost too thin for her to be alive. Hilde now understood when Duo told her about what it was like not eating enough food when he was younger and living on the streets.

Moving towards her apprehensively Hilde sat a distance away and watched as Dr Michaels picked up the clipboard. "How are you feeling?" He asked as he flipped through the pages. Why he was talking to someone who obviously couldn't hear was totally oblivious to Hilde.

"Why ask her when she won't respond?"

Dr Michaels smiled and looked up at the girl lying in the hospital bed. "I found that it helps the coma patients wake up. You never know she may actually hear you!" He looked at Hilde. "Think of it as if you were sleeping, your brain is still working, so why can't your senses work at a lower level." He now looked back at the girl. "I've learned from her that it's true, but to a point."

Hilde couldn't believe what she had just heard. "Wait you know her?"

"Sure! She comes in here with injuries worse than this at times. On several occasions she came in flat lining. It used to bug me, at first but she's my best patient."

"Do you know when she'll be out of here?" Quatre asked finally joining the conversation.

Michaels looked at Quatre and for a moment a smile crossed his face. "I'd give her until around lunch, before Duo wakes up." Dr Michaels sighed heavily and moved to the girl's side. "She never gets visitors, and I really don't think a hospital is very safe for her anyways."

At first Qautre stared but from what he had heard about the attack it didn't surprise him bit. Looking over to Hilde he realized she didn't quite catch what he meant. So he decided not to ask him how she could heal that fast, he only needed to look at Heero for the answer to that. It was obvious the girl had had similar training.

"Why is itnot safe?" Quatre was starting to understand why Heero was concerned for her.

"There are many people who would want to get rid of her or to take her out of here. That's why she's under my care." Looking up he smiled. "She's pretty funny when she's healthy, the problem is she takes her work too seriously and often forgets about the consequences. Actually I can't help but feel she wants to die when she shows up like this."

"What a horrible way to live." Hilde stated as she looked down in pity for the girl. "But it won't change how I feel about her trying to kill my bestfriend." The doctor looked up, and for a moment he seemed so weary.

"It's a shame you feel that way, she was doing what it took to survive. You really have no right to say such things until you know her reasons. And trust me she's the nicest person I've met, once she trusts you."

Hilde snorted and watched as he placed a thermometer in her mouth. "How can I do that? She tried to kill my bestfriend. I really doubt that Duo would forgive her either!"

"Oh really! I bet he would if he saw her. I think your forgetting who he is for a moment here. Duo is as kind hearted as Mr Winner there."

"Just call me Quatre." Quatre jumped in.

"Quatre, thank you!" He said turning to Hilde."Just look at her for a minute. How would you feel to be like this? I don't think you could last. I've seen hundreds of people come in here looking better than this and they usually don't make it through the night. All I ask is, you forgive her enough that you don't try to hurt her. It's the last thing she needs." Pulling the thermometer out of her mouth Dr. Michaels scribbled the data on the sheet. "That's all I want you to do, I want you to think about how Duo and the girl in front of you would feel."

Hilde let out a long breath and took a good look at the patient in front of her. After watching her breathing Hilde noticed the straps around her arms, wrists and ankles.

"Why the hell does she have restraints?" Hilde asked as she stood up and took a closer look.

"She can't handle needles and she likes to run away, so I need her to stay here until I can release her, and not worry about getting her back within a day."

Hilde sighed. This was all too much. Nothing seemed to make any sense. The young woman, Duo's behaviour, and even Heero's actions. All this really made her wish she and Duo were back on L2 at the scrap yard.

Dr Michaels looked at Hilde and cocked his head to the side. "You're both very tired, go home and get some rest I'll tell Duo you'll be back before the evening.

Qautre nodded and helped a tired Hilde to her feet. Rest was all they could get to help their friend, Dr. Michaels was right, and right now Duo needed as much help as he could get. "Common Hilde, I'll take you to my place until Duo is released, you'll feel safer there." All Hilde could do is nod in response. Everything seemed to get even more confusing. _'I don't know how much more of this Hilde could take, I'll have to watch over them both now. I doubt Wufei and Trowa will have time when it comes down to it.'_

* * *

After they had left the room and returned to the waiting area Dr Michaels handed Hilde Duo's things and a sheet with Howard's home number. "First I want you to call him for me and tell him to get a hold of me as soon as possible. Can you do that?" Hilde nodded. "Good because I seriously doubt that girl will be here for another day." 

"What's going on?" Quatre asked getting really confused, the whole situation was just getting weirder by the minute.

"Right now it's best you stay out of it. There's too much going on here that even I can't place in order." Hilde nodded slowly and smiled.

"Thank you so much."

"Not a problem, if Duo's condition changes I'll give you a call, but right now I want you both to get some rest. You'll need it in the morning if you're going to see Duo."

Confused by just what he meant, they both left the hospital and headed for home. As they neared the apartment Hilde shared with Duo Quatre couldn't help but feel uneasy about leaving her there alone.

"Are you sure I can stay with you tonight, I don't want to be a hassle?"

"No it's fine, besidesmy home issoo big I sometimes get lonely in there myself, and I don't think Duo would forgive me if you got hurt now."

"Yeah you're right. Thanks Quatre." Hilde smiled as she sat back and fell asleep in the seat.

Quatre smiled and thought about what will come next. _'It looks like Duo won't be seeing just what he did to her. I think it for the best, he might forget about it.'_ Qautre sighed and looked out the window of the limo as it drove them home. He really doubted that Duo would forget; it's not like him. _'Get better fast Duo we'll need you pretty soon.'_

_TBC..._

* * *

_A/N: Poor Duo! Well from here on the story begins to change from the old one so watcyh closely it's about to pick up!._

_Please review. Tell me anything that comes to mind!_


	11. Midnight Meetings

_**A/N:** Wow 613 views thank you everyone. I'm a little sad since no one reviewed on the last chapterbut atleastI know some of you are reading it. Please just remeber to review i would love to know what you think of the chapter the characters any opinion is fine. Go wild!_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter 9: Midnight Meetings**

It had been a day since Qautre had last seen Duo. Although the young man was very injured he was still able to smile as he always did. But Qautre couldn't help feeling bad or sorry for what had happened to his friend. What ever it was the girl was after, Duo had nothing to do with it

The fact that Qautre knew more than any of the other pilots wasn't what bothered him. The fact he couldn't tell them what really was going on with Duo and why his life was almost taken did. If he had told them, he would have wound up in a similar situation as Duo, or worse.

Around noon Qautre had spent three hours with Duo. Reassuring him that Hilde was fine, and going over the events he missed. He was shocked to see Duo wasn't too surprised about the woman being gone before he could see the damage done. He even said he thaught she would look normal by then. That was something Quatre wasn't expecting but everytime he tried to bring it up Duo would change the subject.

Hilde was much better after seening Duo twice more. Although she couldn't come back to her home she was calming down faster than expected. But after hearing about the woman's escape Hilde had become upset and almost paranoid. She had spent a whole mroning ranting about how she knew the girl would come after her. It had taken Qautre over and hour and a half to calm her down and reasure her that she was safest where she was and leaving was out of the question.

The problem washe knew the girl wouldn'tgo and attack anex-gundam pilotwithout any reason or motive. Actually it was almost strange that she had attacked Duo. He'd have to find out for himself what his friend had done to get her attention in that way.

* * *

Slowly Quatre walked in to an aboandoned bedroom, not even bothering to turn onthe lights and sat quietlyonthe bed near the center of the room. Sighing heavigly he lookedout the open window.The night air was refereshing to not only his skin but also his mind. He needed to get some fresh air to keep his mind sharp and clear. All that had happened in the past few days was starting to streach him thin. 

"When will she ever learn to stay away from the rest of the pilots." He sighed.The woman who had aatacked Duohad a very strange knack for running into all five of them. Qautre was starting to get used to her presence around him but at times she even scared him.

"I just wish you'd stop showing up late at night." He rolled his eys as he flung himself onto the bed and sighed. For over an hour he watched the ceiling trying to figure out why someone would be after Duo and injure him the way they did. Something just wasn't adding up. As time passed his thaughtsd became couldy and slowly over time he began to doze off to sleep.

* * *

Waking up Qautre had a strange feeling that something wasn't quite right. Something or someone was bloking the breeze coming in from the open window. What was it though? And why did it feel like there was someone else in the same room? 

Opening his eyes slwoly he came face to face with a dark figure leaning over him. He wasn't to sure who it was and they didn't seem to be very happy either.

"AAAAHHHH" Qautre screamed as he flung the figure off himand watched as they deftly flipped in mid air back onto their feet.

"W..Wh.who are you?" Quatre asked as he stumbled backwards in the dark only to be grabbed roughly by his attacker and lightly slammed against a nearby wall..

"Shhhh! Do you want to wake up Rashid?" A monotoned female voice hushed.He knew this voice very well and was almoist relived and angery at the same time. Her voice wasn't right though. Almost strianed and tired.

"Ray?" He asked as she let him go and backed away far enough so he could move away from the wall. Now Qautre could get a good look at hismidnight visitor. From the way she was standing he could tell there was something wrong. Her long black coat was hanging like it usually did but he had a feeling that when she had rammed him into the wall thatd it had the smell of blood. Her hair looked clean but he wasn't to sure about her face, she still kept it in the shadows.

"Who else would climb into this window at night?" She growled. "Besides what's with the whole putting your gaurd down. Didn't I tell you to be on the look out in case anything suspicious happends. They can get you when your sleeping too you know." She spat sarcastically.

Altrhough he couldn't see her face properly he knew she was scowling at him and wasn't too pleased about how she had found him.

"I doubt they could make it past my securtiy." But he realised his mistake after he finished the sentence.

"Reaallllyyy." Ray teased placing both hands on her hips and leaning forward enough that Qautre could easily see most of her face. He thaught so on her face were a few smudges of dirt and knowing her blood."And how did I get in may I ask?"

"Okay okay I get it. Besides they wouldn't go after me anyways There are too many people watching my every move, and right now my death would be bad for either side and you know it."

But that didn't help his case that much either. The girl slapped a hand to her face and sighed heavily as she moved to stand more comfortably. "Guess what!" She said trying to coax him into her game of right and wrong, something she liked to tourture him with often.

"What" Quatre sighed. He should have known she would do this to him.

"The war isn't over and it never will be with you five alive. And with me around it won't get any better. I'm the only thing holding it back right now and trust me I know when I'm losing a battle. The Preventers won't be able to stop what's commnig after them and I'm sure there are already a few spies in their midst as we speak."

Qautre sighed. _'She really sounds more paranoid than Heero does.'_ He thaught to himslef. The truth was that she knew very well what she was talking about and on every occasion so far she has been right. So to say she was paranoid had no grounds. "Yes I know, but right now you can't walk in there and prove you point. The preventers will be looking for you if they aren't already."

"Hmm..." She really did remind him of Heero even the way she thinks. Suddenly Ray moved towards Qautre and placed her face infront of his. "Do you supose I could get in as a trainee and get to them that way?"

Qautre backed up rather quickly more out of shock from the sudden movement she made towards him.He knew she was dangeruos and on a few occaisions he had bearlymade it out alive during meeting like this one. Of course she had stopped being so threating but any sudden movement like that still sets him on his guard when she's around."Do you have to do that?" Qautre laughed.

"Sorry." Ray said as she moved back a few more steps,but he had a feeling she didn't really understand why.

"Don't worry about it." Qautre smiled back. He had gotten used to her strange antics.Most of the time she did odd things like that to scare him or to make a very valid point. "I don't think you could with that white hair you've got." Qautre smiled.

"I can dye it you know." She stated crossing her arms. At this moment she reminded Quatre a lot of Heero.

"Yes you could but you would still stand out. With your abilities, both Sally and Wufei would arrest you in a heart beat. Besides the spies would know what you look like and prbably also how you behave. Isn't it you who told me most of OZ's new soldiers are afraid of you?"

"True" She sat in a nearby chair with a sigh. "Well I could get away from the preventers easily but, isn't there another way I can get in without being detected?"

* * *

_Elsewhere in the mansion._

"Heero I'm serious!" Hilde sighed in frustration. She was more worried about what Duo had said rather than her friend's condition.

After seeing Duo another two times she bagan to feel batter and realised he would be back on his feet in no time at all. The only probelm was the attacker and the one wordDuo kept repeating in his sleep.

"I doubt it's related. It could be something left over from the one time he was exposed to it." Heero stated as he looked at Hilde more closely. He really didn't believe that was it but he had to tell her somethnig to get her off his back.

"What's going on then? I know you know!" Hilde demanded clenching her fists in frustration. "Damn it tell me, Duo got introuble because of whatever it is." She nearly screamed. Heero started to back up. He knew Hilde could be trouble now but this was rediculous.

"No that wasn't it." Heero shot her down for the hundredth time. _She all rilled up. She needs to calm down. I can't tell her anything when she's in this state. It'll just go in one ear and out the other.'_ Heero sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Right now you don't need to worry, I'll have this worked out soon."

"But why does he keep repeating Zero in his sleep? It's creeping me out." Hilde growled. Heero was really starting to annoy her. So far he's only run her around in circles and didn't answer a single question.

Noticing her annoyance Heero stood up and sighed. "I really don't know anymore. There have been many rumors about Zero being used by a new OZ faction but so far I haven't seen it in action. I really doubt that's what's going on. I can't tell you more than that because I'm stuck on the outside with this one. I have no clue myself what's really happening and I can't seem to get to the bottom of it.

As for Duo's problem I really can't help you. There is no way he has his hands on Zero. From what I remember he wouldn't even want it, his brain is incompatable and he knows it." Heero finished. He really just wanted to leave now, before Hilde came up with even more questions to badger him with.

"Okay, I'm sorry. " Hilde mummbled, now feeling worse than before. "I guess you can't know everything, and it's bothering you as much as me...maybe even more." She said as Heero got up andturned to leave.

Stopping at the door Heero turned around and sighed. "It's not you fault, just keep going as you have. If the situation gets worse I'll contact you and Duo as soon as I can." With that he left out the door, leaving Hilde alone to think of all that happened.

* * *

Walking down the wide hallways of Qautre's mansionHeero thaught about what Hilde had told him._ 'Did the woman cause this, or was it something else, maybe the girlfriend? I can't see the attacker being the cause of what's happening to Duo since she's only appeared once in the same place as him. It must be Aliu that's the only person who sees Duo more often than the rest of us that I can place.'_

Stopping at a window Heero sighed. "I can't get to the bottom of this, I don't even know where to start. Maybe Hilde is right. Duo could be a good place to start looking for some sort of an answer. He's been acting very odd for weeks.And I bet Ali has a few of the answers." But he knew better than to start just there. Duo would be very difficult to get information out of if he doesn't wan to talk about it. As for Ali if she was what he was thinking she was then she wou;d be worse and deadly if he didn't watch it. 'I could get Wufei to help me with her, or maybe Qautre. She seems to trust Qautre more then thye rest of us.'

_Heero looked out _

_'It could be because we've all started to move away from eachother. I haven't spoken to him in a while aside from the hospital. And even then he wasn't giving me the right information.' _Heero shrugged and pulled his hand from the window. _'If I wasn't working on my own rather than the Perventers I wouldn't have found out that OZ was stull operating. Someone in charge is very well skilled to keep me from finding out as long as they have.'_

The real problem was warning the others in a way that won't make it to obvious that they know about the activity. If they start working on the problem now there could be irreversable consequences. What he really needed to do was contact the woman who had attacked Duo, she would know exactly what was going on and what to doif Duo was really her target.

* * *

As Heero continued to walk down the hallway he heard Quatre's voice. 

"I don't know what you can do. Just try not to get into too much trouble."

Who was he talkoing to? Try not to get into too much trouble? There has to be someone in there with him.

Slowly moving close to the door Heero tried to look insde the room to see who the blonde was talking to, unfortunately Qautre was in the way and he couldn't see past him..

_'What is he up to?'_ Heero thaught. The chances of the Winner heir knowing about the OZ activity was very slim, but what was he doing?

Without anyother choice Heero placed his fist to the door and knocked.

* * *

Hearing the knock the young woman Qautre was talking to froze. She wasn't going to let herself be seen by anyone and Qautre knew that. 

"Quick the closet, you can hide on the top shelf." Qautre pushed Ray towards the closet door.

Not making a sound He watched as she lifted herself up and covered herself completely with her long black coat.

"Yes! Who is it?" Qautre called to the door.

"It's me." A familliar voice answered.

"Come in Heero." Qautre smiled. It had been a few days since he had seen him last. "What can I help you with?"

"Who were you talking to?" Heero asked skeptically.

Inside Quatre really wanted to whither. Lying to Heero was the last thing he wanted to do but he had to protect her. "Oh I was talking to myself, It helps me think at times."

Heero cocked his head to one side and narrowed his eyes.Qautre wasn't going to get far with that excuse and he knew it. No one would normally talk to themselves in a dark room.

"What?" Qautre asked.

"You have your reasons for hiding what your hiding. But if you know something I should, I would expect you to share the information." Heero said as he crossed his arms.

Qautre knew he was in a hrad spot but he wasn't about to hand Ray over to Heero. "Right now I know as much as you about what happened to Duo. Honestly I just think he needs a few days off to clear his head and manage the stress he's under." Again he lied to Heero, and he knew he would pay for that one. "What would you like me to do? Anything in mind you want me to check on?"

"Not yet." Heero sighed. "Hilde's been ranting at me for over an hour about the attack, but I have no clue why it happened.

Did Duo do anything out of the ordinary or upset someone?" Heero came further into the room and walked to the open window. looking out for a moment but then decided to close the window.

"No, He hasn't done anyhting really unusual, just the things we've discussed earlier." Qautre now crossed his arms. Heero was interrogating him and he wasn't going to give in.

"Hmm..." Heero turned and faced Quatre. "Well then I'll keep in touch and inform you on any changes in what I have found."

"Thank you Heero." Qautre smiled. He was dying to send his stoic freind out the door but he didn't want to raise any suspisions.

"Alright, I'm heading home. Make sure Hilde keeps out of trouble. She might try to dig up information on her own and I don't want a repeat of what happened during the war."

"Sure I'll keep that in mind." Quatre moved towards Heero to let him out the bedroom door.

"Alright good night, and get some rest you look like you need it." Heero tried his best to seem friendly but the way it came out sounded more as an order.

laughing Quatre told him he would and quickly shut the door.

* * *

Leaning against the door Quatre heaved a great sigh. Heero was really digging for information. he must have been having troubles finding some himself. Qautre doubted Heero actually believed him but he had to do what he did to keep the young woman Heero was after safe. 

"Is he gone?" A voice whispered.

"Yes" Qautre said relieved.

"Good!" Ray said as she flipped herslf back down the the floor allowing the long coat to fall back into place. "By the way good excuse."

Quatre laughed. "I know it wasn't that good but if I had spent any more time comming up with a better one he would have been on to me much faster."

"True but from the sounds of it he didn't believe you." She wagged a finger at him just to annoy him that she was right.

"No he didn't. I wasn't worried about it though. He knows that if I have to hide something from him it's probably not worth him finding out."

"Oh right, he's going to completely trust you." She sighed as she moved toward the bed and sat down.

"Well he beleives me more than the others." Qautre answered back placing his hands on his hips

"That's only bacause your so nice." She smiled teasing the blonde. Her features hadn't really chaned since she came in.

Looking at her more closely Quatre realisedshe was in pain and had been trying to hide it from him. "Your hiding something. I may not be able to see your face in the dark but I can still feel what you are feeling."

"What are you talking about?" Ray asked as she turned to look at Quatre only to make him stop in mid stride. From her movement he knew better than to get too close when not invited to do so.

"You've been in a fight haven't you?" He asked skeptically as he watched one of her eyes.

"What do you mean?" She was starting to lose her temper.

"Your left eye is glowing." He pointed towards her eye and then moved closer much more slower than before.

"Really?" She asked as she looked toward the mirror. "Oh so it is. Oh well." She muttered as if it really didn't matter.

"Let me see your wound." Qautre asked softly trying to coax her to show him what happened.

"What wound?" She snapped once she noticed how close he was to her.

"Don't lie to me I can feel the pain." He answered more urgently. "It's hurting you a lot and there's no point in hiding it."

For a moment Ray just galred at him but as time passed she decided it wouldn't help her. "Fine!"

Qautre watched quietly as the young woman infront of him pulled off her coat. He couldn't help but stare. She reminded him soo much of Heero it scared him at times. Once her coat was off he could easily see where the wound was.

* * *

Ray was really unhappy with Quatre constantly digging his nose into every single one of her problems. _'You'd think he would have his own life to deal with. But he spends more time trying to figure mine out for me than worrying about his friends.'_

"Are you happy, there it is; now can you leave me alone?" She spat in frustration. He was more concerned about her and she hated it.

Qautre just stared at her shoulder. " How many shots did you take?" He asked now with a quivering voice. She hated that too, she just wished he'd stop doting on her like this.

"What do you mean?" She asked now very confused.

"There's another one in your back." He said as he gently moved the back part of the collar down to get abetter look at it.

"Hey!" Ray was now upset. "I don't mind if you look at me but down my shirt!" Okay now he really got on her nerves.

* * *

Qautre backed up unsure of what to say. "I'm sorry," He felt very awkward now. He was used to checking all the wounds his friends had gotten during the war that he had forgoten that she would be difficult. Frist because she's very secretive about her injories and second because she's a girl. 

"I really didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable, it's just that tese wounds need checking. If I don't help you with that one it'll get infected."

"I know that it's just..." Ray was uncomfortable with people helping her with her wounds for many reasons but she knew she could trust him. "Fine I guess your right. I can't really see it. I can reach it but a lot of good it'll do me ifI can't see what I'm doing."

"Good!" He was happy that she now had decided on what to do. Moving towards the door he stopped. "I'll go get the first aid kit." but before he left he remebered one last thing. "Oh and you stay there,I don't want you wandering around here or leaving especially after Heero's interogation. If he knew I was harboring you here I would be as good as dead and so would you. Is that understood?" He had to clarify this with her since she often had a bad habit of running off.

'I can take him" Ray said as a matter of factly.

"Yes i'm sure you can but not in this condition."

"Okay you win but one dayI won't run. I'm tired of it!" She muttered more to herself.

* * *

_A/N: Well this was getting so long that the editor had troubles loading it lol._

_Anyways this chapter is meant to sorrta introduce Ray's character. She get's weirder and weird throughout the story trust me at times she'll make you get mad at her, cry or even laugh about her anticts._

_Also I've been trying to make these chapters a bit more descriptive, I'm still learning how to do this properly but I think I've gotten a bit better trough this chapter. I was a very hard chapter to write and it took me forever_

I hope you all liked it.

Oh and please review I'd love to know what you think.


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